Life, Love, Lies and Lester
by Sookie Manoso
Summary: Lester Santos had to watch the woman he loves marry someone else. It shouldn't matter because he doesn't do relationships. He believes he's too damaged; he's a one night only guy. Lester then meets someone more closed off than he is. It's like looking in mirror and it isn't pretty.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own anything you recognize.

No beta for this story, all mistakes are my own. If you're currenlty reading Domestic Bliss I will be continuing to update. I've been slamming my beta with lengthy chapters so please bear with us! Thanks for all the love and support!

Chapter 1

Lester's POV

It was a gorgeous day. Blue skies, light breeze, sixty-five degrees of perfect. It's like God was mocking my pain.

The entire RangeMan staff was standing on a beach in Point Pleasant, waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle. It was a simple affair, the bride insisted that she already had one gaudy spectacle, she did not need another.

My cousin was standing at the end of the aisle with Tank standing next to him as his best man. Ranger was nervous; he was wearing what Steph likes to call our "blank face" to try and hide it.

The guitar player changed tunes and we all turned towards the aisle. Valarie Plum made her way down wearing a simple, long, dark green dress with golden sandals. She stood to the side as Stephanie and Frank Plum began their descent.

My breath caught.

She was stunning. Her chocolate colored hair was down in waves. She had a simple head piece without a veil. Her gown was asymmetrical and hugged her body in all the right places, it was sexy but classy. Just like her. The worst part, the part that made me feel like a hot poker was being shoved through my chest, was her eyes. They are a deep aqua, such an unusually color, and right now they were shining with love and unshed tears as she looked at her future husband. _Who's not me._

I swallowed hard and slammed down my blank face. Ranger's own face changed when his eyes met hers. A thousand emotions quickly ran across his face but the one that finally settled was love. Unconditional unequivocal love.

Ranger was not only my cousin, but also my partner in business, a brother in arms and one of my closest friends. But he was marrying the one woman that I've ever loved and the worst part is I've never told her. I never took a chance, even before they got together I held back, knowing that they had feelings for each other. He pushed her away so many times and I could've stepped up and made my feelings known, but I didn't. I didn't deserve her; it's hard to imagine a man that does.

Ranger treats her well and makes her happy but I still feel like she deserves more. She is the best woman I've ever met. She's smart, kind, loyal, adventurous and damn she could make me laugh! Most of the time it was completely unintentional but her energy was so amazing. Just her presence at RangeMan changed our entire dynamic. We had always been close but we really became a family once Steph came aboard.

I watched as my cousin and the love of my life recited their vows with teary eyes and shaking voices. Next thing I knew Ranger had his arms around Stephanie was kissing her with everything he had. I swallowed hard as I clapped and cheered along with everything else.

"Come on, man. It's time to get drunk," Bobby said as he clapped me on the back.

I gave him a tight smile in return.

We all headed over to the tent set up on the beach where Bobby and I began to pound scotch.

"She's happy man. She's finally happy and we all need to be happy for her," he said quietly.

Bobby has feelings for Stephanie too. I think we all do in some way; she was the first woman that really understood and accepted us. We're mercenary bounty hunters. Most people around town run the other way when they see us. We're large and intimidating which servers our profession well, unfortunately it doesn't do much for our social life. We can certainly pick up a woman for a night of fun but it's the next morning that seems to be the problem.

Most women looking for a real relationship bolt for the door once they figure out what we do. I was supposed to have a date a few years ago and a takedown ran late. I stopped by her office to ask her if we could reschedule and when she saw my gun and other weapons she politely told me it wasn't necessary.

Other women figure out that our profession is lucrative and try to latch on, trust me when I tell you we can smell it from a mile away. This is one of the reasons that most of us prefer to hook up and then bolt. I don't take women back to my place, I don't leave them my number and I don't make promises that I have no intention of keeping.

Vince, Manny, Ram and Zero walked up to Bobby and me at the bar.

"Have you checked out the talent?" asked Vince.

"It's a tough one, small wedding, no bridesmaids. Bombshell needs more female friends," Ram commented.

We nodded our agreement. I turned around to the bartender to get another scotch. _Might as well not let an open bar go to waste. _

The bartender was a tall, tan brunette. I don't usually hit on bartenders and staff at events, I figure they must get it a lot and are probably sick of it. But then she tossed me a sexy smile… _Well if she's willing I certainly am. _

"Lester!" called Stephanie running over to me. "Will you please dance with me?" she asked with a giant smile.

"Of course, Beautiful. You never say 'no' on the bride's day," I said as I offered her my arm.

"You don't usually say 'no' to most things on most days," she laughed as she took my arm and glanced at the bartender.

"I say 'no' all the time, just never to you. It's hard for a man to deny you anything," I said as I took her in my arms on the dance floor. She flushed slightly and batted me lightly on the arm.

"I'm a married woman now, Lester Santos. You better behave," she warned.

"Don't remind me," I groaned playfully.

"Ever think about settling down?" she asked me.

"Not my style, Beautiful. I'm a man who likes options and variety," I explained.

"If you continue to keep your options as open as they currently are, it's going to start burning when you pee," she laughed.

I chuckled. "That is why man invented condoms and penicillin," I responded.

I felt a tap on the shoulder. "May I steal my wife back?" Ranger asked.

"Sure. Thanks for the dance Beautiful," I said turning to Steph. She threw her arms around my neck and kissed my face.

"Thanks for dancing with me Les," she said as Ranger took her hand and let her away.

I felt a pain in my chest as I watched Ranger lead her away from me. _Story of my fucking life. _

I returned to the bar, the guys, the scotch, and most importantly the hot bartender.

The evening past by in a blur, mostly because I was shit faced.

The bartender was packing up and I began helping her carry glasses to the catering truck. What can I say? I'm a gentleman. Once we finished the last round of glasses, I pulled her aside and pushed her against the wall of the hotel and kissed her hard.

"You're coming back with me," I whispered. She moaned in response as I continued to kiss her.

"Lead the way," she said in a sexy whisper after I broke our kiss.

I grabbed her hand and we went back to my hotel room. I wasted no time stripping her and she was just as desperate to remove my clothes.

She pushed me back on the bed and climbed on top. I'm usually cool with foreplay to get a woman in the mood but this chick was not having it. She wanted me NOW. I stopped her to get a condom, before things got outta hand. I may be drunk but I'm not stupid.

She climbed on top and took control, moaning loudly. I closed my eyes and my mind began picturing someone else. I thought about aqua eyes looking back at me and I moaned at the thought of Stephanie. My random was enthusiastic in my response and finished quickly, making my life easier as I found my own release.

We both feel asleep, not touching. I woke up about thirty minutes later and began finding the chick's clothes. I called a cab and then woke her up.

I politely explained that I had an early checkout and needed to get some sleep. She kissed me goodbye before she left.

I went back to bed where I continued to dream about aqua eyes looking back at me.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N - I don't own anything you recognize, JE does.

No beta-mistakes are my own and I apologize in advance.

Warning - These are adults and grown men who may use offensive language and have offensive view points. There will be sex, as these are adults in adult relationships.

Chapter 2

Lester's POV

It's been over a week since Ranger and Steph's wedding and I haven't had the chance for once decent hook-up since that night.

Ranger decided to take a six month sabbatical after the wedding. That's right: he's touring the world with my Beautiful, while we're all pulling extra shifts to cover for him until we get all the new guys up to speed. Bitter doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how I'm feeling.

I was sitting in the conference room with Tank and Bobby discussing a high bond FTA.

"He's elusive as fuck. But we got word that he occasionally appears at O'Brien's," Tank said.

"That's just a few blocks from here. At any given night at least a few of the guys are down there having a drink. What did Matty say?" asked Bobby.

Matty was the owner/head bartender of O'Brien's. He was also a good friend to everyone at RangeMan considering how much business we brought in.

"Apparently, our darling skip has a bit of a crush on one of Matty's regulars. Fletcher Cohen only shows up when this regular is there," Tank explained.

"What's the deal with the regular?" I asked.

"Twenty-eight year old female named Keira Morgan. All we found on her was an address and a driver's license. She's new in town, meets with her boss in these strange clandestine meetings about once a month at O'Brien's," Tank said reading his notes.

"She fucking him?" I asked.

"Not according to Matty. He said they have a strange relationship. He describes it as a mentor/mentee, father/daughter, best friend relationship. Whatever the fuck that means," Tank said as he sat back.

"What's the plan?" Bobby asked.

"Cohen's hard to pin down. But if he's really following this chick around, we get a line on her, we get him," I said.

Tank gave me a nod of approval. "Matty said she and her boss are due for another meeting next week. Let's record their conversation and see if we can slip a tracker in her car or in her purse," Tank said.

This wasn't the worst assignment. Hanging out a bar next week, waiting for the signal from Matty. The only tough thing is we have to appear like we have a reason to be there without getting too shitfaced. This also means I can't hit on women there, because I'll be working.

We broke from our meeting and I headed down to my apartment on four to get ready for the night. A bunch of us were going out and I really really need to get laid. Stephanie is gone, I've had a shitty week at work, and I'm going to have to spend all next week at a bar where I couldn't really drink and can't pick-up.

_I just need a drink. _

I showered and changed and met the guys down in the garage.

"Where you wanna go tonight?" Cal asked.

"Any place but O'Brien's," I laughed. Bobby just grinned.

We headed out to some club that I'm sure I've frequented before. The music was loud and I was mainlining vodka.

"Girls night, ten o'clock," Bobby said.

Our focus immediately went to a group of scantily clad women who were dancing with each other while casually glancing around the room to see if anyone was looking at them.

"I call the blonde," said Vince as he surveyed the group.

We made our way over to them, introduced ourselves and bought them all drinks. It took less than 20 minutes for us to pair off. I was dancing with a tall redhead who had huge tits and a tongue ring. She was clearly down to play considering the way she was grinding her hips into me. She draped her arms around me and then ran her tongue down the side of my neck. _Yeah, it's time to go._

I led her to a dark corner of the club where we began to make out. I groped her ass and her breasts to gage her reaction. She responded well to all my touches.

"Why don't I take you home?" I suggested in between kisses.

She nodded and grabbed my hand to lead me out. I caught Bobby's eye as he was flirting with one of her friends and he nodded that he knew I was leaving.

We hopped in a cab to her place and once we were inside the door I was on her. There was the usually routine of kissing, foreplay than sex. Sex is always good, but I've become bored and jaded. Mostly because each time I'm with a woman, _she_ pops into my head. It's distracting and rarely allows me to live in the moment. _Man, I really am fucked-up. _

Stephanie Plum is single handedly ruining my sex life.

I rolled over and looked at the woman lying beside me. She was sleeping, that's my cue. I know I could stay and initiate another round but I just don't feel like it. I don't want to stay here and I most certainly don't want to wake up next to this woman in the morning. We barely spoke at the club. It was just too loud. I don't even remember her name. I know she gave it to me, but I couldn't hear her when she said it.

I dressed quickly and quietly. I didn't even glance back as I walked out the door. I never do.

I took a cab back to RangeMan and went to my apartment on four. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat on the couch. I heard my door open and close. Bobby came in and sat down with a beer in hand.

"Successful night?" he asked.

"Yep, she had a tongue ring. She was fun but efficient," I said. "You?" I asked.

"Chick told me she had cats, multiple fucking cats. I hate cats. I settled for her going down on me in the car," he said.

I chuckled. "Isn't she too young to become a cat lady?" I asked.

"Someone should tell her that," he responded with a shake of his head.

Vince and Manny then walked in and grabbed beers.

"Any luck?" I asked them.

Vince nodded and Manny responded. "Mine had a boyfriend," he said.

"Sucks, dude," I said.

Manny shrugged. "I still got some, we just had to do it in the bathroom because we couldn't go back to her place and there's no way in hell I would bring her here," he said.

We all nodded our silent agreement. We don't bring women back to RangeMan. It's like an unwritten rule for all us single guys. The only two guys who have girls are Tank and Ranger. Stephanie and Lula have been here multiple times, but no one else has gotten serious enough to bring a woman here.

Manny calls this place "a skank free zone." We all try and respect that.

A few of the other guys showed up to compare hook-up stories. We drank a few beers then everyone went back to their prospective apartments to sleep.

I showered and threw on some boxers to head to bed. I lied down and shut my eyes. All I could picture was Stephanie Plum on some Italian beach holding Ranger's hand. I groaned and rolled over.

_Why can't I just let her go? _


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - I own nothing you recognize.

Chapter 3

Lester's POV

I was sitting for the third night in a row at O'Brien's. I've given Matty a microphone to hide in a napkin holder, which he will discreetly set in front of Ms. Morgan when she comes in. I'll be able to hear and record her conversation. I was hoping to slip a tracker in her purse by walking by subtly, if not I was going to try to hit on her to see if I could get the tracker in her car.

I hoped that she wasn't completely busted. I mean, I'll do what I have to, but if I have to sleep with someone for the job I'm hoping she's at least a five.

An older gentleman entered the bar. He had a full head of white hair with a trim figure. He was dressed in an extremely expensive suit and tie. I guess people would call him distinguished. Matty shot me a look to indicate that's the boss.

"Matty, my boy! How are you?" the man greeted Matty.

"Fine, Warren, just fine. What can I get you?" Matty asked Warren.

"Grey Goose martini, up with three olives," he replied. This place was a little bit of a dive. Most people were drinking beers and a few had mixed drinks, but there was definitely no wine and no other martinis floating around the bar. Then again, most people here weren't in three-piece suits with Windsor knots.

Matty gave him a nod and made his drink while Warren took a seat. Matty placed the bugged napkin holder in front of Warren. He took a napkin from it and placed the martini in front of Warren.

I suppressed my grin. _Matty was pretty slick._

"How long did she stay last time?" Warren asked Matty.

"She held out for an hour," Matty said.

Warren reached into his wallet and threw a hundred dollar bill on the bar. "Good man. Same deal today, a hundred for every hour she stays after I leave," he said. "I'll give you a thousand if you can get her on a date," Warren continued.

_What the fuck? Was this chick a leper?_

"I asked her if she wants me to set her up. She told me to fuck off and that she's not interest in dating," Matty replied with a grin.

"Believe it or not she used to be fun," Warren said with a headshake.

Just then a small woman with long light brown hair entered the bar. She had a toned body and was dressed in fitted grey pants, flip flops and a loose black tank top with basically had no back. Her lack of shirt exposed her black bra she was wearing.

She walked with purpose. No sexy wiggle, no strut, just a brisk walk. She pulled off her sun glasses exposing large, round blue eyes framed by long lashes. She was pretty, not my usual type. I prefer long legs, but she was definitely a good looking chick and definitely _not _a leper.

"What's up Matty?" she greeted Matty.

Warren's eyes traveled up and down her body. "You look like a trampy college student," he said as he casually turned back and took a sip of his martini.

"You look like you just stepped out of 'The Great Gatsby.' Look around Warren, we're in a dive. I blend, you stand out," she said with a smile and a headshake.

"What's good Doll Face? Gin and tonic?" Matty asked Keira.

"Guinness today," she said as she pulled off her messenger bag and climbed onto the bar stool next to Warren. _Guinness? I wouldn't have guessed that._

"That'll make you fat," Warren warned. _Holy shit! The old man has some balls!_

"Well it's a good thing I gain weight all over. Maybe my boobs will get bigger," Keira replied easily.

"What do you have for me today?" Warren asked her.

"WIP reports. Attorneys are leaving to much cash on the table and they're not billing what they should be. I went through the entire firms' and highlighted the fees that should be billed out," Keira said as she pulled out a phonebook size stack of papers.

"When did you have time to do all this?" Warren asked as he picked up the first packet and began to flip through.

"Nights and weekends. Don't you worry, I logged my hours. You know I don't work for free," she smiled.

"Most young women are out on nights and weekends," Warren commented as he continued to flip.

Keira groaned at the comment as she ran her hand over her face before looking back at Warren.

"I just think you should consider taking a lover, Dear One," Warren said as he picked up the next packet.

"Ew. First off no one says 'taking a lover.' They call them fuck buddies now or friends with benefits. Second, I'm not discussing my sex life with you… Ever," Keira replied as she sat back on her stool.

"Can't discuss something you don't have," Warren challenged.

"Are you turning into my mother? Next you'll be pointing out that I'm on the dark side of twenty-five and my ovaries are slowly drying up," she said.

"Your mother does make an excellent point. With each passing year…"Warren trailed off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. With each passing year I'm getting older and my looks are slowly slipping away from me. We've had this conversation before," Keira said as she took a sip of her beer.

_This is the strangest conversation between employee and employer I've ever heard. _

"Lara is a married woman and still has more of a social life then you do," Warren said as he sipped his martini.

"Lara is five years younger than me and is your _sixth _wife. Don't pull that line with me. I've been around since wife number three. They turn thirty-six and you trade them in for the younger model," Keira shot back.

"I happen to get along with younger women. I have a young soul," Warren laughed.

"You have Viagra," Keira retorted.

Warren just smiled at her.

The sipped their drinks for several minutes while Warren continued to review the documents.

"So, when was the last time you had a lover?" Warren asked casually.

"Son of a- Warren! Fucking drop it! Christ almighty! You'd think I was this close to getting a cat, reading Fifty Shades of Gray and drinking wine out of a box," Keira said as she threw her hands up in exasperation.

I stifled my snort.

"Fifty Shades of Gray? Darling, I don't think you're up to that. You better start off with Twilight," Warren said.

"Of all the things that you've said to me over the past six years, I think that was the first time you've ever actually hurt my feelings," Keira snorted.

"You should just accept my offer and marry one of my sons. You're like a daughter already and you'd inject some fun and some much needed common sense into the bloodline," Warren said.

"You tried that three years ago when you brought Jeffrey to the office Christmas party and then introduced me to 'my future husband' in front of my current boyfriend. Thank you for that. And isn't Gregory like seventeen? That's illegal," Keira replied.

"Gregory is now twenty-one," Warren said.

"Still a fetus in my eyes," Keira said.

"Well, you should consider it. You're not going to be in a position to be choosey much longer," Warren said.

That got him an eye roll. Warren went back to flipping through the documents. Keira continued to sip her Guinness.

"How do you like New Jersey?" Warren asked her.

"Its fine," Keira said neutrally.

Warren wordlessly raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, the whole state smells funny. I've been in metro stations that smell better," she said as she folded her arms.

"You can always come back to DC. We all miss you," Warren said.

"You know I can't," Keira replied quietly.

_This just got interesting. The playful banter was fun, but now we know something is going on with Keira Morgan. Something that we could possibly use to get her to cooperate with us. _

Warren finished looking at the documents and then indicated he would be taking them back with him.

"Take care of yourself. Try and have a little fun, you shouldn't be punishing yourself," Warren said as he kissed Keira on the cheek.

"I'm not," Keira replied defensively.

Warren nodded and turned to head out the door.

"Hey Warren!" Keira called after him.

Warren turned to look at her. "Do you think I did the right thing?" she asked, suddenly transforming from a confident woman to a lost girl.

Warren came back and took her shoulders in his hands and looked her in the eye. "I think you did the best you could've under the circumstances. I think it may have been the only way," he said seriously.

Keira met his eyes and gave him a curt nod in response.

Warren said goodbye to Matty and left the bar.

Keira turned to face Matty. "I'll give you one hour, start the clock and then I'm leaving," she said.

"I'll pay for your drinks the rest of the night if you stay longer," Matty offered.

"You're lucky you're getting one," she replied.

"How about I introduce you to my friend, see if you guys hit it off?" Matty suggested.

"No," she said bluntly.

"Come on! Just talk to the guy. You know I could use the money Warren's offering. You may actually like him," Matty said.

"No, I'm socially awkward with new people," she replied.

"There is only one way to get better at that. Come on Keira! You're new in town and need to meet new people! This would be good for you. As your friend, I'm asking you to let me do this for you. He's a good guy; just have one conversation with him. Please?" Matty begged.

Keira bit the inside of her cheek as she paused for a moment. "Only because you did those cute puppy dog eyes," she finally said with a small smile.

Matty grinned at her.

He slowly made his way to the other part of the bar where I was sitting.

"You're up, man. She's a good girl, be nice while you plant the tracker," he muttered.

Kiera's face was stricken when she realized Matty was talking about me.

I suppressed a smile when I heard her mutter "Motherfucker!" over the wire as I picked up my drink and made my way to Ms. Morgan.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N – JE owns everything you recognize.

No beta-mistakes are my own and I apologize in advance.

Warning - These are adults and grown men and women who may use offensive language and have offensive view points. There will be sex, as these are adults in adult relationships.

Chapter 4

Lester's POV

I made my way to Keira and took a seat next to her at the bar. Her body stiffened. She didn't want to talk to me; she didn't want me anywhere near her. _Well, it's a damn good thing I can be persuasive._

"Hi, I'm Lester. Matty tells me you're new in town," I said offering my hand. This woman was untrusting and skittish. I wasn't going to be able hit on her right away; I was going to have to warm her up first.

"Keira," she said as she took my hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Do you mind if I buy you a drink?" I asked. She hesitated looking at the empty glass in front of her. She wants to bolt, I can tell.

"Hey listen, I remember moving when I was younger. Meeting new people and starting over can be a giant pain in the ass. I've known Matty for years; I work for a security company in the area. I saw you walk into the bar and was thinking about buying you a drink, but then you sat with someone. I didn't want to bother you and I didn't want to make any assumptions about your relationship. Matty noticed me looking at you and then told me that guy was your boss. I figured I could buy you a beer and have a conversation. So knowing that I have Matty's seal of approval and now that I've laid all my cards on the table, I'm going to ask you again. Can I buy you a drink?" I asked.

Her body language relaxed a little. "Alright, thanks," she finally said.

I glanced over at Matty who was already bringing her over another Guinness. Her mouth tightened slightly like she was annoyed he assumed she'd have a drink with me.

"But just so you know, I seriously doubt you just laid all your cards on the table," she said as she sipped her beer.

_Yeah, but you still agreed to stay. _

Matty brought me a vodka tonic and I began to formulize a plan to get into Ms. Morgan's pants.

"What do you do for a living?" I asked her.

"I work as an Office Administrator for a law firm," she replied.

"And the man that just left is your boss?" I asked.

"He's the Managing Partner of the entire firm; I work in the Trenton branch. There are five branches. The largest is in Washington D.C.," she explained.

"Is that where you moved from?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Is it normal for an Office Administrator to be meeting with the Managing Partner at a dive bar after work?" I asked. I wanted to push her a little bit. From the conversation I heard she has a thick skin, but that could just be the nature of their relationship. I was testing the waters.

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "Nothing is normal about the relationship I have with Warren. I started out as the lowest person on the totem pole in the Washington D.C. firm. I was basically in the mail room right after college. I proved myself and was promoted quickly. Then Warren's assistant was fired. They asked me to fill in until they found a suitable replacement. I started working for him and we worked well together. He decided to keep me on as his assistant and gradually over the years, he gave me more projects and more responsibilities and then I was promoted to the Assistant Office Administrator. There was an Office Administrator's job available in Trenton. This branch has been having some problems so he wanted someone he could trust and someone he knew could handle the job. He asked me to take the position, so here I am," she said.

What she gave me sounded like the whole story. That is, if you can't read people. She was telling the truth but she was definitely leaving some things out. Either way she was young to be running a lucrative law firm's branch. But Warren came off as a sharp man; he wouldn't have promoted her if she didn't deserve it.

"What exactly do you do?" she asked me.

"I'm a partner in a security firm. We provide high end alarm systems, body guard services, bounty hunter services and regularly work with the police," I explained. I intentionally left out the mercenary part. I need her to be comfortable with me. I need to get that tracker in her purse or in her car. I also wouldn't mind taking Keira Morgan for a roll in the sheets. According to Warren, she could use it and I'm always game for hooking up with a hot girl.

"That's interesting. Do you enjoy the work?" she asked.

"I do," I said adjusting my seat so I was a little closer to her. My knee was just barely touching her leg. I saw her glance down quickly but she didn't move away. _Good sign._

"You're meeting your boss on a Thursday night at a bar. I take it you work a lot?" I asked leaning a little closer.

"I do. It's fine, I like what I do," she answered.

"Have you gotten out much? Are you enjoying you're new city?" I asked. Hopefully she'll see this as my insinuating that I want to take her out. I have no interest in that but that's not what I want her to think.

Her demeanor changed slightly. "I get out as much as I care too," she said.

"You wouldn't consider getting out a little more?" I asked as I gently touched her leg.

She looked at my hand and then narrowed her eyes as she looked at me. "You don't want to take me out," she scoffed as she folded her arms and leaned away from me.

"What makes you say that?" I asked as I gently used my thumb to stroke her knee.

Her eyes ran from me feet to my face and back again. "You may be willing to sleep with me, but you're not the dating type," she said simply as she took a sip of her beer.

Okay, she may have nailed me but I wasn't going to be deterred.

"Is that something that interests you?" I whispered dropping my voice an octave as I leaned a little closer to her. She smelled really good. I wanted to burry my nose in her perfumed hair.

"Listen, you're extremely attractive and I know you must have no issues getting any woman you want to come home with you but honestly, I don't really see what I'm going to get out of this,"  
she said.

"So you're looking for a date? Like dinner and a movie?" I asked.

"No. I have no interest in a date. I'm referring to if I come home with you, we have sex. I may or may not get off. You certainly will. Then I get to leave frustrated with an increase in my number of sexual partners and nothing to show for it. No thanks," she said bluntly.

_This was an interesting turn of events. _

"What happens if I can guarantee results?" I asked.

"I'm sure you'll try, but I don't think you can promise me that," she said.

"How about if I promise to get you off, at least twice, before we even have sex," I suggested. All this talk was having an effect on my body and I was struggling not to just grab her face and shove my tongue down her throat. _Maybe that would convince her?_

"Let me see your hands?" she said. _Huh?_

I showed her my hands. "Are you really checking to see how big my cock is by looking at my hands?" I asked quizzically.

She rolled her eyes. "No. I wanted to make sure you had clean hands and fingernails. There's nothing that skeeves me out more than the thought of someone touching me with dirty fingernails," she explained.

My job can get dirty, but I always make an effort to have clean hands and nails. I did a silent thank you to my mother.

"I take it I passed," I said giving her a smile as she gave me a sideways look. "Why don't I take you back to your place?" I suggested.

"No, I have a roommate. We can go back to yours. How's your shower by the way?" she asked.

"My shower?" I asked. The one at RangeMan is good. The ones at my townhouse are amazing. I made sure of that when I redid the bathrooms.

_Was I really going to take this girl back to my townhouse? I've never taken a woman there. But I really need to get this tracker in her car._

I looked at her face and found myself staring at her full lips. I wanted to suck on the lower one. "You will love my shower," I promised.

"So the deal is: I get two orgasms before we have sex and I get to use your shower?" she asked.

"I'll even make you breakfast," I said giving her a sexy grin. _Where the fuck did that come from!_

"Let me just call my roommate to let her know," she said as she excused herself.

Matty came over to me and I settled up.

"Is she really going home with you?" he asked me.

"Yeah, she drives a hell of a bargain. I don't know what I just got myself into," I said with a headshake.

"Lester, be good to her. She really is a nice girl," he said.

"Trust me man, she will have no complaints about tonight," I said as we shook hands.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- JE own everything you recognize.

No beta- all mistakes are my own and I apologize for them.

WARNING: There is sex in this chapter and if that bothers you please do not continue to read. These are adults in adult relationships.

Chapter 5

Lester's POV

Keira appeared back at the bar.

"Ready to go?" I asked her.

"Yep," she replied easily.

I was trying to detect nerves, but she seemed completely calm, maybe bordering indifferent. That's not exactly the attitude I look for in my conquests. She might be thinking that there's no way I'm going to deliver on my promises. _Little does she know._

"I walked here from my work. Can we take your car?" I asked her. My RangeMan vehicle was actually in the parking lot but I wanted to get in her car so I could plant the tracker. Also, I have my personal car at the townhouse.

"Sure," she said.

"How did your roommate take it?" I asked as we climbed into her car.

"She called me a goddamn whore and said she was changing the locks," she said.

_Huh!? _"Are you kidding me?" I asked.

"Yes. Lester, I'm almost thirty. What the hell do you think she said? I told her I wasn't coming home and that if she doesn't hear from me by tomorrow morning to talk to Matty at O'Brien's because he knows the guy, Lester that I'm going home with. She said goodnight and that we'd talk tomorrow," she said with a shrug.

That was actually pretty smart. She was letting me know that if anything happens to her someone would know by morning and they'd know how to track me down.

"I promise that you will be home in time to change before work," I said as I picked up her hand, kissing it. While I was kissing her hand I discreetly stuck the tracker under the passenger seat.

_Mission accomplished. Now I can concentrate on other things. _

I gave Keira directions to my house, we pulled in driveway and she parked the car.

"I'm new at this. Should we discuss rules or something?" she asked.

"Okay. We use condoms. Anything you're uncomfortable with, we won't do. If you want me to stop all you need to do is say so. Feel better?" I asked as I brushed some of the hair from her pretty face.

That got me an eye roll. "Lester, I've had sex before. I hate to break it to you but I'm not a virgin. I meant I don't do the one night stand thing. I just wanted to establish rules," she explained.

"What kind of rules do you need Quierda?" I asked.

"I don't want your phone number and I'm not giving you mine. If we see each other again I'm not going to ignore you but I don't want to feel obligated to hang out with you. I'd rather just a friendly acknowledgement. This is a one night thing," she said.

I felt myself smile.

"If that's what you want," I said as I leaned in to kiss her softly. Her lips were soft, her breath was cool and tasted minty. I kissed her a little deeper and a soft moan escaped her as I pushed my tongue past her lips. She broke the kiss.

"Maybe we should go inside," she said with a wry smile.

I led her into my house. "Want the tour?" I asked her.

She rose up on her toes and kissed me passionately. Now it was my turn to moan. _The woman can kiss!_

"Later," she breathed. We went back to making out and I began exploring her body. She definitely worked out. I ran my hands down her back and to her ass grabbing it, pulling her to me. She knew how she was effecting me and she seemed pleased with my reaction.

I started regretting telling her I was going to get her off twice before having sex. The way she was kissing me wasn't helping my control. I picked her up easily and carried her to the bedroom where I deposited her on the bed.

I pulled off her shirt and she pulled off mine. A wicked grin formed on her lips as her eyes ran over my body.

"Yes?" I asked her.

"You got such a raw deal," she said.

"Oh yeah? How so?" I asked her as I began kissing down her neck. Her perfume was intoxicating.

"I get at least two orgasms, the use of your shower and I get to have sex with a ten," she said. "You have to give me at least two orgasms, have some random chick in your shower and have to have sex with a six," she giggled as I began kissing the tops of her breasts.

I chuckled. "Trust me, you're underestimating your appeal. I also really enjoy making a woman come. The only hard part is, having to hold out because right now because I really really want to be inside you," I whispered hotly in her ear.

She moaned as I continued to kiss her all over. I removed her pants and we went back to making out. I wouldn't let her take mine off yet, I needed to keep my control and I didn't expect it to be this hard. I began kissing her breasts. They were small but perky and nicely shaped. Her nipples were responsive and were driving me wild. I finally slipped my hand into her panties and she practically purred.

I continued kissing her all over while I used my hand to please her. Her muscles began tensing and I knew she was close. I continued a stead rhythm as I used my tongue on her nipples. I felt her body shudder and jerk as she called out for God.

I kissed her softly and got an "mmmm," in response.

"That was one," I whispered.

"It was a good one too," she whispered back. _God, please if you're there, let her finish quickly. I'm dying. _

I needed to get back in control. I began trying to talk to her as I traced small circles with my finger tips over her skin to give my body a chance to relax before starting up again.

"Why is a woman like you single?" I asked.

"Maybe I don't want a relationship," she answered.

"Why not?" I asked. I was just curious; I hope she didn't think I was trying to proposition her.

"Why don't you?" she volleyed the question back to me.

"I'm not built for them," I explained truthfully.

I felt her stiffen for a moment, before she knocked me away from her. "God damnit! I knew this was a bad idea!" she said as she slipped back into her panties and searched for her bra.

"Keira, what the fuck?" I asked feeling completely confused.

"Let me guess, this is the part where you tell me something happened in your childhood and how you're not able to love again. What was it? Your mom not hug you enough? Daddy issues? No! Don't tell me. I don't want to know," she said as she found her bra and covered up her gorgeous breasts.

I was still lying on the bed in complete shock of what was happening.

"Let me just give you a piece of advice," she said as she slipped back on her pants. "Whatever happened, it's time to deal with it. I don't know your age but if you're anywhere close to thirty, it's no longer cute. It's time to either move on or go get professional help. You're getting way too old to play the sympathy card. It's just fucking creepy," she said as she searched for her shirt.

I finally snapped out of my haze and jumped up and stopped her rant. "Keira, baby, stop. Nothing happened to me as a kid. I'm a mercenary. I get paid to go overseas and do missions and fight," I explained as I took her by the arm.

She froze. "Mercenary?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Wasn't expecting that one," she admitted.

"Will you please lie back down?" I asked.

She got back on the bed and I pulled off her pants. She looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry about that, I bet that hasn't happened to you before," she said.

I chuckled. "It has but it's usually the reaction I get when I tell someone I'm a mercenary. It doesn't bother you?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It raises a bunch of questions," she said.

"Questions?" I inquired as I resumed drawing circles on her skin.

"Yeah, like if we have a private military does that mean we're more or less likely to go to war? I like the idea of paying soldiers more and for them to have the ability to quit, but is it a good idea to work for a company where it's run as a business and its about the bottom line versus the safety of the men and women serving?" she explained.

Whatever I was expecting this wasn't it. "So you don't have an issue with _me_ being a mercenary?" I asked.

"No, I just hope you work for a company that values your life over money and doesn't skimp on costs at the expense of soldiers' safety," she said.

I gave her a look. I was surprised that she admitted that she might care.

"What? Just because I don't want to see you after tonight, doesn't mean I want anything bad to happen to you," she said with a small smile.

I kissed her softly then more forcefully. She pushed her tongue into my mouth and we made out for a while. I don't remember the last time I spent so long just kissing. Then again, I don't remember having chemistry like this.

I began kissing down her body and once again removed her bra and panties. I buried my face in between her thighs and used my tongue and fingers to make her come again. As she was recovering I kissed back up her body, stopping at my favorite spots.

"That was two," I whispered. She kissed me in appreciation.

"Damn, you're good at that," she said.

"Keira, are you okay? Do you need time to recover?" I asked. I know that a woman can be sensitive right after she finishes and I didn't want to hurt her, on the other hand I was about to explode and she hadn't even touched me yet. _Please say you're ready, please you're ready, please you're ready._

She responded by kissing me deeply and reaching down to undo my jeans. I quickly removed them and she reached out to stroke me.

I moaned and then grabbed her hand stopping her. "Gorgeous, I don't exactly have full control right now," I explained.

"Get a condom, I think it's your turn," she whispered. _Thank you lord!_

I grabbed a condom and had it on in about two seconds. I was kissing her again and then eased her legs apart and entered her.

She gasped, while I moaned. She met me thrust for thrust and I found myself continuing to kiss her while she ran her hands all over me. I wanted her to enjoy it so I tried thinking about something, literally anything else, then how she felt.

I reached down and began to stroke her. She came soon after. She told me to go harder and I complied and it took all of three thrusts before stars exploded in front of my eyes. It was one of the most intense orgasms I've ever had.

I rolled off of her and found myself pulling her into my arms and placing kisses on her forehead.

"How's your first one night stand?" I asked her.

"I'm starting to wonder why I've been such a prude," she laughed. I kissed her again and then she rolled away from me.

"Going somewhere?" I asked.

"Absolutely, I have a date with an amazing shower which actually has some water pressure," she said as she headed toward the master bathroom.

"Towels are in the closet!" I called. I rolled over and dozed off feeling completely relaxed and satisfied.

I woke up and rolled over to find Keira fully dressed. She was bent over pulling her flip flop from under the chair. I sat back and admired her ass for a moment.

I sat up and threw on my boxers. I was on the edge of the bed when Keira walked over to me. I pulled her in between my legs and I placed my hands lightly on her ass.

She ran her hand into my hair and grabbed a handful of it giving it a sharp tug, yanking my head back. "Later Romeo," she said as she brought her lips to mine and gave me a passionate kiss good-bye.

I don't know if it was the kissing or the hair pulling but I was now ready to go again. I held her to me and then leaned back on the bed taking her with me.

"You're not going anywhere yet," I whispered as I pulled off her shirt. Then we began again.

XXXXXXXXXX

I woke up early the next morning and rolled over in search of Keira. I figured that I could have some fun getting rid of my morning wood. I sat up quickly when I realized she wasn't there. I glanced at the clock.

_What the fuck? It's only 0600 and she's already gone?_

Sure enough, her car wasn't there and there was a note on the counter.

It read: _I stole an orange, consider it breakfast. _

_Nothing about last night?_ It's not like I wanted her number, it just would've been nice for her to admit that she had a good time.

_God knows I did. _


	6. Chapter 6

A/N – JE owns everything you recognize.

No beta- all mistakes are my own and I apologize for it.

Warning: This is a story about adults who may say and do offensive things. These are adults in adult relationships so they have and talk about sex.

Chapter 6

Lester's POV

When I got back to RangeMan and turned on Keira's tracker, it was working perfectly and Bobby and Tank were pleased. They set up some of the guys to monitor her activity. According to the tracker, she hasn't been anywhere other than work, home, the gym and grocery store in two weeks. Not that I checked. Tank set Ram and Vince up at her gym to see if Cohen is following her there.

If her car goes to O'Brien's the partners are to be called immediately and one of us would head over there to look for Cohen. I wasn't sure if I was going to push to be the one to go or not. I was curious to see how Keira would react to seeing me, but I also understood that she only wanted one night. It's not like I was expecting another night, I just wasn't opposed to it.

Since my night with Keira I've been out a few times. I hooked up and it's been good. I mean, it's always good, but Keira keeps creeping into my thoughts. Maybe it was because she was the first woman I brought home and she ditched me. Maybe it was the sex. We had amazing, passionate sex. Maybe it's because I know there's a chance that a very dangerous FTA is stalking her. Maybe it's because my subconscious is trying to find a replacement for Stephanie. I prayed to God that it wasn't so, but I have a feeling that my fascination with this woman was just simply a defense mechanism of having the love of my life halfway around the world with my cousin. What? I've taken a psychology class. Either way it's probably for the best that I don't see her again.

The new guys were finally up to speed so I wasn't spending eight hours every other day on monitor duty which helped improve my mood. The guys were crushing it in the field and our already high apprehension rate went up by several percentage points this month. We also signed on two more lucrative clients for alarm systems and monitoring. Professionally, Tank, Bobby and I were kicking ass.

There was only one problem: the paperwork. The never ending fucking paper. There are days that I spend ten hours in my office handling bullshit paperwork. Tank pointed out that it comes with the territory, but I can tell he's at the end of his rope too. Bobby, between the paperwork that comes with being a partner and his responsibilities as the company's medic is completely drowning.

We're all moody and currently jealous that our other partner is currently in France with his new bride. I would day dream about walking through the streets of Paris holding Stephanie's hand. I thought about some of the topless beaches in south of France and making love to her in the ocean. All these fantasies got worse the longer I spent in my office reviewing documents. I'm not built to be desk jockey.

"I can't fucking take it man, I need to get the fuck out of this building," Bobby said one day as he collapsed in a chair in my office.

"Me too, I can't even concentrate on all the shit I gotta do. So I'm just getting further behind," I complained.

"Fuck it. Let's go grab a beer. I just can't have a big night considering I have to do inventory in the medic office tomorrow," he said.

"I'm in. If I don't leave this place for at least a few hours, I swear to God I'm going to lose it. Like really fucking lose it," I agreed.

"I'll meet you in twenty in the garage," Bobby said as he left my office.

I finished up the paperwork I was working on then ran back to my apartment to shower and change quickly.

Bobby was waiting for me in the garage. "Want to go see Matty?" he asked me.

I like O'Brien's and I like Matty but what happens if Keira's there? Part of me wants to run into her, but the other is setting off warning bells in my head about getting close to this chick. The guys on monitors would've told us if her car was there so it's probably safe.

Bobby was looking at me quizzically and I realized I was standing there silently having an internal debate for a very easy question.

"Yeah, let's go," I finally said.

"You alright?" he asked giving me a funny look.

"Yeah, my brain is just fucking fried," I explained.

"I hear you," he said.

I drove us the three blocks to O'Brien's and we entered the bar. "Matty!" called out Bobby.

"What's up Brown? You haven't been here in awhile," Matty commented as he and Bobby shook hands quickly.

"Yeah, Ranger's gone so we're all left cleaning up his shit. Hopefully things will get better soon," Bobby answered as he took a seat at the bar.

"Santos! What's good?" Matty greeted me as I took a seat.

"Beer me, fucker. It's been a long week," I said.

"Why's that? Has it been more than two days since you've gotten your dick wet?" Matty threw back as he grabbed two Miller Lites for me and Bobby.

"It's been nine. I hate being stuck at the office. What's the talent like tonight?" I asked him as I glanced around the bar.

"Its slim man; mostly dudes tonight. I haven't seen your girl in awhile," Matty commented.

"Who's his girl?"asked Bobby.

_Fuck!_ I shot Matty a warning look.

"Keira Morgan. The girl he placed the tracker on. She hasn't been here since," Matty explained.

"Any sign of Cohen?" Bobby asked. Bobby took Keira "being my girl" as I was interested in her in the professional sense. I silently thanked God. I usually tell Bobby everything, but I wasn't sure how it would've gone over if I admitted that I took Keira back to my place. She's part of a job right now, that's a line I should not have crossed.

I bet I could explain to Tank and Bobby that it was the only way to get the tracker into her car, but they would know the truth. I could've walked her to her car, kissed her good night and slipped it in. I could've had Matty distract her and broken into her car. There was a lot of could've done but I let my cock think for me that night and my cock wanted to be inside Keira Morgan.

"He came in once, looked around the bar and left. I sent one of the waitresses to write down his license plate number but apparently he didn't park in the parking lot. He walked around the corner and I didn't want her following him," Matty explained.

"Understandable, thanks for trying," Bobby said.

"Do you think he was looking for Keira?" I asked Matty.

"Yep. He always stays if she's here. He sits in the corner and just stares. She doesn't notice," Matty responded.

I felt guilty that Keira has no idea what she's involved in. I pushed my thoughts aside and took a long swing of my beer.

Bobby and I each had two beers and sat around bullshitting with Matty when my phone rang.

"Yo," I answered when I saw Vince's number.

"Yo, you with Brown?" he asked.

"Yep, he's right here," I said.

"Get down to Pulse. Now," Vince demanded.

"That good?" I asked.

"Better. A bunch of chicks walked in that just came from a wedding. It's just too fucking easy," he answered.

"See you in ten," I responded.

I turned to Bobby. "Settle up. Vince is at Pulse and the talent is much better there," I explained.

"How much better?" Bobby asked. I know he had a long week and was dragging ass a little bit.

"Just left a wedding, better," I answered.

Bobby immediately perked up and signaled Matty for our check. "You gotta come out with us some night," Bobby said to him when he threw down his money.

"I don't think my wife would like that," Matty responded with a grin.

"You're married?" I asked incredulously.

"Five years, we're expecting our first in December," he answered. _Matty is fucking married?_

"Congratulations man! That's awesome," said Bobby who looked a little shocked.

"Thanks, you two assholes have a good night," Matty answered as he went back to wait on other customers.

"Who knew?" I said shaking my head as we walked out of O'Brien's.

Bobby and I made it to Pulse in record time. We found Vince, Ram, Manny and Zero scouting out a group of women that looked like they just came from a wedding.

"How's it looking?" I asked as Bobby and I slid up next to them.

"Good. They look buzzed, but not too drunk and desperate for male attention. Basically right in our wheelhouse," Zero responded.

I glanced to the dance floor and began assessing who I was going to hit on. The leggy blonde with the fake looking tits immediately got my attention. I was about to make a move when I noticed her walking down the stairs towards the dance floor.

She was dressed in a fitted strapless black dress. Her hair was swept back from her face and she was wearing heels that would make her at least 5'4''. _Looks like Keira was one of the women who just left the wedding. _

To my dismay she walked straight towards a man in a suit who was holding two drinks. My jaw immediately clenched. She thanked him as she took the almost empty one. I found myself just staring at them. The man was drunk, she wasn't.

He slung his arm around her and was whispering in her ear. She seemed to be tolerating him, but not enjoying him. He reached back and pulled something out of her hair causing it to fall in waves down her back. I felt a growl escape my throat.

Keira looked annoyed and took back the hair pin that he removed but left her hair down. He grabbed her hand and yanked her towards the dance floor. She played a long but kept her distance. He wasn't having any of that so he grabbed her around the waist and pushed his thigh between her legs. He knocked her slightly off balance and she grabbed his shoulders, catching herself. The drunken moron took this as an invitation and ran his hand down her back and grabbed her ass.

_That fucking does it. _

"Bobby, can you get home tonight, if I take the car?" I asked him.

"Yeah man, I can take a cab. I have my eyes on someone anyways," he said. I went to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. I remembered from the recording that Matty offered her one when she first walked into the bar. I've listened to that thing probably a hundred times.

I made my way over to Keira and the drunken idiot she was dancing with. She managed to get some distance from him but he was still trying to pull her closer.

"Keira!" I called out. "I thought that was you! You still drinking gin and tonic?" I asked her handing her the glass.

Shocked is the only way I can describe Keira's face. Her mouth was just hanging open. She glanced from me to him in a panic as if she was trying to decide which of us was worse. _What the fuck? She can't be serious about hanging with this jackass?_

She finally recovered and leaned towards the guy she was dancing with. "Dan! This is my friend Lester, I haven't seen him in awhile," she said introducing us. We shook hands; he was giving me a dirty look. I gave him a pleasant smile.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, but I think I'm going to go catch up with Lester then I'll probably head home. I'll see you Monday," she said to Dan. He gave her a light hug and peck on the cheek.

I threw my arm around her and guided her to the other side of the club where there were a few available seats. "You were seriously thinking about staying with that drunken groper rather then coming to talk to me?" I asked mildly as we sat down.

"I technically know him better then I know you," she pointed out_. She better not mean in the biblical sense. _

"Why were you letting him get away with that shit if you know him so well?" I challenged.

"I work with him. He's an attorney and I'm technically not his boss. The partners are. We were at a wedding for a coworker. We hung out all night and everything was fine then he got too drunk once we got here. I was trying to figure out a way to not make the situation awkward considering I'll have to see him on Monday," she explained as she slugged back her drink.

"Wanna dance?" I asked.

"Not particularly," she answered.

"Come on! I just rescued you from an incredibly awkward situation. You can't give me one dance?" I asked.

A small smile crept on her face as she finished her drink then put it on the table. "Lead the way," she said.

I took her hand and led her to the dance floor. I took her arms and placed them around my neck as I pulled her close and we began dancing. She smelled really good and her body felt right in my arms. We ended up dancing to a few more songs and she gradually relaxed and got closer to me. I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder and I felt her shiver.

I was getting to her. "Come back with me," I whispered in her ear.

"I have plans," she answered.

_What the fuck?_

"Break them," I demanded.

"I've been looking forward to them all night," she whispered. I felt a pang of jealousy_. Is she hooking up with someone?_

"What are your plans?" I asked.

"To get out of these heels and dress, watch 'Archer' on Netflix while eating the raspberry frozen yogurt that's waiting for me in my freezer," she said seductively in my ear.

I snorted. "That's better than an orgasm?" I asked.

"Depends on the night," she answered.

"I'll give you both. Come back with me. I'll give you something comfortable to wear, we'll watch 'Archer', and I'm really good at making smoothies. Not to mention I'll give you an amazing orgasm," I whispered in her ear as I began nibbling on it.

"What kind?" she asked.

"Vaginal…clitoral. I'm willing to use my hands, mouth, dick, whatever you need, Quierda," I said as I ran my hand down her back.

Keira threw her head back and let out a laugh. "I meant, what kind of smoothie?" she said smiling at me.

I thought about what was in my fridge. "Mixed berry," I said as I began to trail kisses down her neck.

She sighed and leaned against me. "You're breaking the rules," she breathed.

"I may have forgotten to mention, I'm horrible at following rules," I explained.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- JE own everything you recognize.

No beta- all mistakes are my own and I apologize for them.

WARNING: There is sex in this chapter and if that bothers you please do not continue to read. These are adults in adult relationships.

Chapter 7

Lester's POV

Keira's eyes betrayed her internal debate. I decided to turn up the heat and I took her face in my hands and gave her a searing kiss.

Once I broke it, I looked into her dark blue eyes and noticed how her pupils were dilated.

_Gotcha. _

I placed another soft kiss of her lips then went back to kissing her neck as I ran my hands up and down her back holding her tighter against me. She shivered and let out a soft moan.

_I have her, I know it. _

I pulled back looking into her eyes, "Please come home with me," I asked. Women like the word "please" it makes them feel more in control. I don't love using it but I'll pull it out if the chick is worth it.

Keira let out a sigh and I swore I heard her mumble, "Fuck it" under her breath.

"Let's get outta here. I really want a smoothie," she said giving me a smile.

_Liar, you want more than a smoothie. _I gave her a sexy grin and a quick kiss, before taking her hand and leading her out of the club and to my car.

It was a short drive to my townhouse and as soon as we walked in the door, my mouth was on her. We kissed standing in the entrance way for a solid ten minutes. We were kissing and running our hands all over each other's bodies. She sucked on my tongue then broke our kiss.

"You have a talented mouth," she said giving me a wicked grin. I know what she's looking for and it gives me an idea.

I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. I set her down and unzipped the back of her dress, kissing her back as the dress fell to the floor. She wasn't wearing a bra so I took advantage, taking her breasts in my hands and stroking her nipples. She moaned as we continued to kiss. She pulled off my shirt and we crashed on the bed.

I began my plan of slowing torturing her by kissing and stroking everywhere but in the one spot she wanted me to most.

"Les!" she begged.

"Yes, Gorgeous?" I asked as I nipped and kissed her hip.

"You're killing me, please!" she moaned.

I pulled off her cute blue panties and got closer to the spot but not quite there. I started slowly running a finger around her clit. "What are you doing to me?" she cried in frustration.

"I need something from you before I can give you what I you want," I whispered. I then used my tongue on her for a second to show her what I would do for her.

"What?" she moaned.

"Stay the night. You're not going to disappear again," I said firmly as I kissed her inner thigh.

"Seriously? Come one Les!" she cried.

"How bad do you want this?" I asked her as I slowly started using my tongue on her again.

"Fuck! Fine!" she conceded.

"Tell me how bad you want it?" I demanded as I placed her leg on my shoulder.

"So bad! Please Les!" she begged. I grinned knowing I just got the power back. Hearing Keira beg me was the sexiest sound in the world. I happily went back to using my talented tongue on her.

Keira came hard, her body shuttered and she cried out for God_. One of these times I'm going to get her to say my name. _

Her breathing was ragged as I made my way back up her body.

"I should be a giant bitch and just grab my things and go," she said as she caught her breath.

"You wouldn't!" I said in horror.

"Oh, I would. There's just one problem," she said.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I'm not done with you yet," she said as she pushed me back on the bed straddling me.

Keira took control and we had another round of mind blowing sex. I can't tell what it is about her, we just work together.

We were lying in each other's arms recovering from our orgasms when I remembered my promises. If I was going to expect her to keep her promise, I better keep mine. I rolled out of bed and threw on basketball shorts. I found a pair of boxers and a soft t-shirt for Keira.

"Comfortable clothes as promised," I said.

She looked at me and bit her lip. "What?" I asked.

"Can I use your shower again? The one at my place is just so terrible, it just drips on you and yours is so nice," she said.

I pulled her up and kissed her forehead. "Go shower. You know where the towels are. I'll be downstairs making smoothies. Come find me when you're done," I said.

She kissed me quickly on the lips then went into the bathroom.

I took this opportunity to take her dress and shoes and put them in the hall closet. I don't trust her. She would definitely try to sneak out.

I went to kitchen and pulled out a package of frozen berries and some almond milk which I threw into the blender. I poured two glasses and brought them into the living room. I found the show she was talking about on Netflix. I was surprised; it was a cartoon about spies.

Keira came down the stairs dressed in my boxers and t-shirt. She didn't say anything about her missing dress. We sat down on the couch and she didn't try to cuddle up to me. She simply curled up on the other end.

I grabbed her foot and pulled it into my lap.

She raised her eyebrows at me.

"You mentioned getting your shoes off. I figured your feet must hurt," I explained as I handed her a smoothie and then began to rub her foot.

She let out a moan. "What the hell are you doing to me?" she asked.

"I'm not a foot guy at all, but you have cute feet. They're little and I like the bright red toe nails," I said as I continued to rub. Her feet were cute, as far as feet go but what I really wanted was for her to be putty in my hands. I'm just not sure why I wanted that so bad.

"I'm 5'2'' wouldn't it be strange if I had really large feet?" she pointed out. I shrugged and switched feet. Keira let out another moan.

We drank our smoothies and laughed through Archer. At one point I grabbed Keira and pulled her into my arms so her head would lay on my shoulder. Her body stiffened at first but she eventually relaxed. By the end of the second episode she had fallen asleep. I reflexively kissed her hair, when I noticed that she was sleeping. _I must just be tired._

I gathered her small body in my arms and took her to the bedroom. I crawled into bed after her and she rolled over and snuggled against my body. I wasn't expecting it, but it was nice. I fell asleep soon after.

I woke up to Keria saying "Son of a bitch!" in a whispered voice.

"Keira?" I asked groggily.

She was standing in the middle of my room with her hands on her hips. "Did you hide my clothes?" she asked.

I couldn't help but grin. I called it.

"Its 5:00am Gorgeous. I didn't think you'd need them until I got up to take you home," I said innocently.

"You did it on purpose!" she said in astonishment.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It's obvious how much I trust you," I said.

She bit the inside of her cheek unable to come up with a comeback.

I took her hand and pulled her back into bed. I rolled on top of her.

"Since we're both up…" I started to say.

I didn't need to say anything else, she immediately kissed me as I started pulling off her clothes.

We woke up around seven and had sex again. She asked me if she could use my shower one last time. She really loves that thing.

I showered downstairs and was sitting at the island waiting for her. She came down the stairs in her dress, holding her heels.

"These magically appeared on the bed while I was in the shower…weird," she said looking at me.

I grabbed her pulling her into my arms. "Listen, I'm going to be busy the next few weeks, but I'd like to take you to dinner once everything calms down," I said. What I was really thinking was I couldn't date her until we got Cohen.

She laughed. "It's cool Les. Don't worry about it," she said easily.

"I'm not worried about it. It's not a line, I want to see you again. I just can't for a few weeks," I tried to explain. _Shit this sounds so sketchy._

"Well, I'm all set," she said as she grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl.

"What the fuck? Are you serious?" I asked.

"Yeah, I told you I'm not looking for a relationship. I didn't intend for this to be more than a onetime thing. It's been fun and you're probably one of the most amazing guys I've ever met, but I'm just not interested," she explained.

"Why?" I asked her. I was feeling a little shocked. I wasn't expecting the blow off after last night.

"Maybe I'm not built for it," she said using my own line against me.

I car horn beeped. "That's my cab. Thanks for breakfast," she said holding up the apple as she turned and walked out of my house and out of my life.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N- JE own everything you recognize.

No beta- all mistakes are my own and I apologize for them.

WARNING: There is sex and offensive language in this chapter and if that bothers you please do not continue to read. These are adults in adult relationships.

Chapter 8

Lester's POV

I was still recovering from the shock of Keira's rejection a week later. I just didn't get it. We get along, have good conversations, insane chemistry and hot sex. What else could she possibly be looking for? It was irritating and frustrating. It didn't seem like she was seeing anyone else. I had the guys monitoring her tracker send me an email everyday on her daily activity and it was basically the same every day: Gym, Work, Home. With the occasional, grocery store, dry cleaning or pharmacy thrown in.

I spent a lot of time at the office, trying to wade through the mountains of paperwork. A few of us went one night and I hooked up with a chick in her car, but all I could think about after it was over was how much better the sex with Keira was. It wasn't about skill or anything particular we did in bed; I just know that after having sex with Keira I wanted to have sex with her again. This chick…once was enough.

I was having a beer in my apartment with Ram as we waited for the other guys to return from their conquests.

"How was yours?" he asked me.

"Fine, she gave good head," I said. "Yours?"

"Enthusiastic. No complaints," he said.

We heard the door to my apartment open and in strolled Bobby and Manny who went home with roommates.

"How was your sleepover?" Ram asked.

"Perfect. She fell asleep almost immediately. Unlike Bobby's," Manny said with a grin.

"What happened with yours?" I asked as Bobby sat down with a beer.

"She's one of those chicks who gets off and then has crazy amounts of energy. All I wanted to do was leave but she was just lying on my shoulder chatting my damn ear off about God knows what," Bobby explained.

"What did you do?" asked Ram asked.

"I texted Manny to come get me with an excuse. He knocked on the door two minutes later and told me we had a work emergency and we needed to leave. I apologized and told her I'd call her," Bobby said with a smile.

"You gonna call her?" I asked.

Bobby snorted. "I never even asked for her number," he answered.

This scene was all too familiar. Here we are after another night out, sitting around an apartment drinking beers and comparing notes. Not one of us slept over any of the women's places, no one bothered to take a phone number. Hell, half of us didn't even bother to learn their names. This is every single man's dream; it was my dream when I was younger. Right now, for some reason, it just feels pathetic.

My mind wandered to Stephanie. They were in Spain now. She sent an email about how she really loves Spanish wine and that she and _Carlos_ went out dancing almost every night. She promised us all gifts and told us how much she loved us. It was a perfectly nice email which made me want to pick up my laptop and throw it against the wall.

_What the fuck is wrong with me?_

That particular thought crossed my mind multiples times the next week when I read my daily emails about Keira's whereabouts. _Maybe she is seeing someone and he picks her up? The only way to really know that is to stake out her apartment. I could easily ask_ _for her address from the guys monitoring her whereabouts. They wouldn't question me. No! No, no, no. I will NOT be a stalker. Cohen is a stalker, I am NOT._

_Fuck._

I shook these thoughts from my head, and forced myself to concentrate on the stack of paperwork in front of me. I was absorbed in payroll when my desk phone rang.

"Yo!" I answered.

"Keira Morgan is at O'Brien's, I'm on my way now. Get a team together and stand by. I'll call if Cohen shows up," said Tank.

"Heard," I responded before hanging up.

I called the members of the core team; I wasn't going to fuck around with Keira's safety. We came up with a basic plan. A few of the guys would go in plain clothes but armed. When Keira left I would distract her until they got Cohen under control. Once I got word that he was in bracelets, I would make sure she got in her car and was safely out of sight before they brought him out. We didn't want to freak her out considering we had illegally planted a tracker in her car. I was to remove the tracker as soon as we got to O'Brien's.

We were assembled in the garage when the call came in.

"Gentlemen, its go time. Let's move out and collect our fucking money," I said.

We pulled up to O'Brien's and everyone took their positions. I spotted Keira's car and made quick work of popping the lock and removing the tracker.

"Morgan is heading out. Vince is approaching Cohen to distract him while she leaves. Santos, be ready," came Bobby's voice of the wire.

Keria walked out the door dressed casually in jeans and a fitted grey t-shirt. She was digging in her purse for her keys and didn't seem to notice me walking towards her. She jumped when she finally looked up and saw me. "Lester!" she said in surprise.

"Keira. How've you been?" I asked casually.

"Fine…uh how are you?" she asked. She was flustered.

"Fine, work is finally calming down. Want to go to dinner with me on Friday?" I asked.

"Les, I just can't. It's just… I'm not really in a position…" she stumbled. I took her stumbling as a good thing and decided to apply a little pressure. I grabbed her roughly to me and kissed her. For a second, I wasn't sure what she was going to do. I think she might push me away and slap me.

I was pleasantly surprised when she kissed me back and even opened her mouth for my tongue. I wrapped my arms around her small body and held her tight. I ran my hand up her back and to her neck, holding her mouth to mine. I was getting lost in the kiss when I was rudely interrupted by Brown.

"Cohen's in bracelets. Clear Morgan out of the parking lot. We're waiting on your word," Bobby said.

I wanted to audibly groan but I suppressed it as I broke our kiss. "I'm going to take that as a yes," I whispered to her.

She shook her head. "It's still a no," she answered. I sighed and took her keys out of her hand. I held her hand as I walked her to her car. I opened the door for her and gave her back her keys.

"Be safe, Gorgeous," I said kissing her forehead.

She looked up at me in complete confusion of what just happened. She nodded slowly then got in her car and drove away.

"Parking lot clear," I said over the wire as I watched her tail lights disappear down the road.

I went back to work the next day with a little bit of hope_. She's not completely immune to my charms. She kissed me back. She really kissed me back. If I had the time to push, I bet I could've gotten her to at least go to dinner with me. If I can get her on a date, just one fucking date, I could get her. I know it._

I began planning the next stage of my attack. I needed to do something else to throw her off guard. She was one of the few women I've ever met who are more comfortable saying no to me then yes. I had to do something to change that. She was also a strange mix of confidence and insecurity. She knew who she was and wasn't apologizing for it but when it came to me pushing affection or attention on her she became easily flustered, like she didn't know how to handle herself in these types of situations.

Little did I know, an opportunity would present itself much sooner than I had planned. Bobby and I were meeting with a client at a law firm regarding an alarm system which they wanted installed. We walked into the lobby and the receptionist greeted us.

"You're from RangeMan?" she asked.

"Yes Ma'am," said Bobby.

"Looks like you were supposed to meet with Brian Lavalle, he's a partner here. But Mr. Lavalle decided that our Office Administrator would be handling this project. Let me just buzz her for you," the receptionist said giving Bobby and I a flirty smile.

We smiled pleasantly back. We DO NOT fuck around with clients or anyone associated with our clients.

Keira then walked around the corner. She looked so sexy. She was dressed in a full 50s style black skirt, a fitted white shirt with a fitted black button up sweater over it. She had on a wide black belt that cinched her waist and black heels.

Her light brown hair was pulled into a bun and she was reading a file while she was walking. _I'm going to enjoy this. _She looked up and saw Bobby and me standing there in our black RangeMan SWAT gear. Shock first ran across her face. She bit the inside of her cheek and then let out a breath.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming," she said extending her hand. "I'm Keira Morgan the Office Administrator," she said.

"Bobby Brown," Bobby introduced himself.

"Lester Santos," I said giving her my hand. She shook my hand and I couldn't help but run a thumb across her palm.

She looked a little flustered and flushed slightly but swallowed it quickly and began showing us around the office. She was extremely professional and I would say that both Bobby and I were impressed with the questions she asked. We went back to her office and we discussed the alarm system a little more. Bobby and I stood up and shook her hand promising her an estimate by the end of the week.

As we were walking out Bobby turned and looked at me. "What the fuck! Kiera Morgan works there? That should've been cross checked!" he hissed.

"Someone should've picked up on that," I agreed.

"This can't keep happening; we can't let our business get sloppy. I think it's time we talk about hiring someone to help us with the paperwork," he sighed.

"Let's call a meeting with Tank. I think you're right about hiring someone. I can't keep up," I admitted.

"Me neither. Want coffee?" he asked me.

That gave me an idea. "Yeah, there's a Dunkin Donuts a block over," I said. I made a show of reaching into my pocket. "Shit, I forgot my phone in the office. Why don't you head over and I'll meet you there," I said.

"Alright," he said easily.

I turned and headed back into the office. "Where is everyone?" I asked the receptionist.

"It's 12:30pm. Almost the entire office goes to lunch between 12:30 and 1:30," she explained. I let her know that I left something in Keira's office and she told me to head on back that Keira should still be there.

I walked into her office. Her back was to me, she was leaning over slightly with her hands on the table in front of her with her head down. She looked lost in thought. I closed her door and locked it.

She jumped when she heard the door close and turned around. "Lester," she breathed.

I didn't say a word. I took three full strides to her and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to me. My mouth crashed onto hers and I felt her arms wrap around me in response. I pushed her backward and lifted her slightly to allow her to sit on the table. She opened her legs to wrap around my hips.

She could definitely tell the effect that this impromptu make out session was having on me. I took it a step further and ran my hand up her leg and slipped my hands into her panties. She let out a moan and kissed me harder.

I was planning on just doing something for her but all of a sudden her hands were on my belt and she was undoing my pants in desperation. I broke our kiss and looked into her eyes.

"Are you sure?" I whispered.

"Yes," she whispered back as she grabbed my face kissing me again.

I moved her panties to the side and entered her. I buried my face in her neck as she clung to me, wrapping her legs tightly around me. We moved together, our breathing ragged while clinging to each other. Neither one of us lasted long. We kissed hard during each of our releases so that we could stifle any sounds that we might make.

I placed soft kisses on her face once we were finished. She gently pushed me back. "You should probably go before anyone gets suspicious," she said quietly.

I know she was probably right, but seriously? I reached into my pocket and pulled out my business card. I wrote my personal cell on the back and handed it to her. "I want to take you out. I don't care if it's dinner, drinks, coffee or even just a walk around the block. When you're ready, call me," I said.

I tried to hand her the card, but she wouldn't take it. So I slipped it into her bra instead. I grabbed her face and gave her one last kiss which she returned.

"Call me," I said over my shoulder as I walked out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N - JE own everything you recognize.

No beta- all mistakes are mine and I apologize in advance.

A giant THANK YOU for all the support for this story. It's Lester with an OC and I'm blown away by the positive feed back and messages. I really do appreciate all the support!

Chapter 9

Lester's POV

Keira didn't call.

I'm not surprised. I guess I was just hoping she would. She was the one who initiated sex in her office. Okay, maybe I started it by kissing her but I wasn't planning on fucking her. She undid _my _belt. Damn, it was good. Even a quickie with her was immensely satisfying.

Tank, Bobby and I finally had a meeting about all the fucking paperwork. We agreed that it was time to hire someone. We each were going to find a qualified candidate to bring in for an interview. We agreed that by the end of the month we would begin training an administrative assistant.

I called my cousin whose wife manages a temp agency and asked for a list of qualified applicants. I wanted to set up interviews next week so I could pick my candidate as quickly as possible. We're all over this paperwork shit so there's no point prolonging this process.

The next week I went through the motions at work and in my personal life. I still went out with the guys, drank and hooked up but it was all so dull. I was bored with it. I still liked the sex and orgasming is still the highlight of my week, but the process has become tedious. I felt like I was just replaying the same night over and over again. Go out, get drunk, hit on chick, take chick home, fuck her, leave.

I needed to do something to get my swagger back. Bobby, being my best friend, noticed the change and decided what I really needed was to get out of the office and go after some FTAs. It's been a few weeks since either one of use have been able to be in the field and as soon as he suggested it I perked up.

It was early Friday morning and we were going after Anthony Davidson. He was arrested for possession with intent to sell. He has a long wrap sheet and history with drugs. He was a meth dealer as well as frequent user which could make him volatile. _This could be fun._

Davidson lived in one of the nicer complexes in a shitty area of Trenton; it was set up like a motel with all the doors leading to outside hallways. The complex was home to mostly drug dealers, pimps and high end hookers. Not the most savory place. Bobby and I made sure we had on our our vests and checked our weapons before going in to bang on Davidson's door.

Bobby banged on Davidson's door and shouted, "Bond Enforcement!"

He didn't answer. They never do. With that I kicked in the door and Bobby and I ran quickly into the apartment. Davidson jumped out of a closet and hit Bobby with a lamp before sprinting out the door.

"Fuck!" shouted Bobby.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Yes! The fucker is not getting away!" growled Bobby.

We took off after him. He seemed to be running in a particular direction, possibly to one of his friend's apartments to hide. We were sprinting after him. An apartment door opened in front of Davidson and a woman dressed in workout clothes stepped out listening to her iPod.

"Little Ms. Spin Class, right on time, bitch," he said as he grabbed the woman yanking her in front of him. He had a knife in his hand.

"What the fuck Tony! You god damn meth head psycho!" Keira yelled.

_Keira…FUCK!_

"Oh, so now you know my name bitch? You're always acting too good for me, won't even say hello in the laundry room," he said.

"That's because you're usually high! Get your hands off me! What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shouted at him as she struggled in his grip. She didn't seem to notice Bobby and me approaching slowly with guns drawn.

She stopped thrashing when Davidson brought the knife to her neck. "Easy bitch. You and I are going to take a slow walk out of here and these two assholes are going to let us," he said nodding toward Bobby and me.

Keira finally noticed us, but she didn't seem to recognize us at this point. "What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

"Miss, I'm going to need you to calm down," Bobby instructed.

"Easy for you to say! You don't have a knife being held to your throat by a meth addict," she snapped.

"Calm down, everything is going to be okay," Bobby assured her.

"Says the guy with a gun!" she shot back.

"Don't worry I'll calm her down," Davidson sneered. He was high right now. This could be really dangerous. "Listen bitch, all you have to do is stay still. You flinch and you cut your own throat on my knife. It's a good hunting one too, just had it sharpened," he said as he adjusted the knife against her throat. A small trickle of blood ran down her neck. Keira froze. "Good girl," he said. His other hand slowly made its way down Keira's stomach and then stopped at her workout pants. "Let's see how still you can be, bitch," he said. He slipped his hand into her pants and Keira flinched as his hand began to creep lower.

"I'm taking the shot," I said. I was boiling with rage. He really thought I was going to let him sexually assault her?

"Do it," Bobby replied.

I pulled the trigger just once and Davidson dropped to the ground. I hit him directly in the forehead. I rushed to Keira who was now on her hands and knees. Her face and clothes were spattered with blood and probably some other stuff.

Her whole body was trembling when I reached her. "Keira, Keira, Baby, look at me. It's Lester. I've got you. Okay?" I said to her gently as I carefully pulled her up and into my arms. She didn't speak, her whole body just kept shaking.

"Bobby," I said turning to him. Bobby was immediately in medic mode.

"Ms. Morgan? It's Bobby Brown from RangeMan. We met at your office two weeks ago," Bobby said as he began using his pen light to shine in her eyes.

Keira didn't respond. "Take her to the vehicle. She's in shock and we need to call this in," Bobby ordered me.

"I'm going to pick you up now. Okay?" I said gently. Still no response. I scooped up her trembling body and we brought her down to the RangeMan vehicle. Each one has a first aid kit and other medical supplies. Bobby called the police who were sending a team immediately.

We opened the cab and sat Keira down. She slowly reached up and touched her face. She then looked at her hands staring at the blood. Bobby pulled out some wet cloths and began cleaning her up while talking softly too her. He ordered me to go to the vending machine and get a Coke for her. She needed sugar. I quickly brought it back and heard the sirens of the police cars.

I tried to give it to her to drink but she refused. "Sweetheart, I'm just going to ask you to take a few sips. You don't have to drink the whole thing. Please?" Bobby asked gently.

She took a few sips and then finally looked up at us. "I killed him," she said, her voice sounding distant and strange.

"No you didn't, I did," I said gently.

"He knows I got to spin class every morning at 7:00am. He knew I'd be leaving my apartment. If I hadn't, this wouldn't have happened. May be if I calmed down sooner…" she trailed off. She looked down at her white zip up shirt she was wearing which was now blood spattered.

With trembling hands she yanked down the zipper and tried to pull it off. I stopped her hands and helped her out of the shirt. She was now just in a workout tank top and workout pants. Bobby grabbed a blanket from the car and I wrapped it around her shoulders.

Detective Joe Morelli came strolling up. "Which one of you shot him?" he asked casually.

"I did," I said.

"Nice shot. Center of the forehead. The boys are already upstairs blocking off the scene. The coroner is on the way to remove the body. Ready to give your statement?" he asked me.

"Sure," I answered.

"Wait. Lester's not in trouble is he?" Keira asked as she jumped up to get between me and Morelli.

"Not if his story checks out. You must be Keira Morgan. Are you alright? Would you like us to call an ambulance?" he asked her.

"No, that feels unnecessary and dramatic," she said with a headshake.

Joe Morelli raised his eyebrows. "Ms. Morgan if what Bobby told me happened, actually happened, I'd say this situation is already pretty damn dramatic," he explained.

"She okay?" he asked Bobby.

Bobby nodded.

I didn't want to leave Keira but I needed to give my statement. Once Morelli was done with me he needed to talk to Keira.

I sat next to Keira for support as she told her side of the story. Morelli took notes and asked a lot of questions.

"Are we almost done here? I should probably be getting ready for work," she said.

"You're not going in today. I'll be calling your work to let them know what happened. You can go back on Monday," Morelli said firmly.

"That's not really necessary," Keira said.

"What were you planning to do? Go in there like nothing happened? How were you going to explain this?" Morelli said touching his hand to the side of Keira's neck where the blade cut her. It wasn't a deep cut and didn't need stitches but it was long and definitely noticeable.

"I cut myself shaving," Keira deadpanned.

Bobby snorted.

Morelli's eyebrows rose up in surprise. "You're off today. Who can we call for you? Boyfriend? Parent? Friend?" he asked.

"My parents live out of state and I'm new in town. I'm fine. Really," Keira tried to assure him. I wanted to say something about her roommate but bit my tongue.

Morelli looked at her suspiciously. "You should at least get out of here for a few hours. The boys are going to be in your hallway for awhile," he explained.

She nodded.

Bobby's cell rang and he took a quick call and then pulled me aside. "I don't feel right leaving her," he said glancing at Keira.

"Me neither," I said.

"Good, cuz you're staying," he said. "I just got a call from Zero, Binkie was hurt in a takedown and I need to get to the hospital," he explained.

"Is he alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, he's fine. I just gotta go. Procedure and all that," he said. Bobby, being the company medic, was required to go to the hospital and talk to the Doctors when any of us are injured or sick. He speaks their language and always has a better understanding of what's going on than the rest of us.

"Good," I said.

"Can you be nice to this girl without trying to get in her pants?" he asked me seriously.

"Of course, I can!" I said. _Maybe._

I walked over to Keira. "Where are your keys?" I asked.

She wordlessly handed them to me.

"Come on," I said pulling her up.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"My house. We're spending the day together," I said. Keira clung to my arm as I guided her to her car and put her in the passenger seat.

I drove us back to my place and led a still trembling Keira inside. I grabbed boxers and a t-shirt for her and told her to take a long hot shower. Once she stripped out of her clothes I threw them in the wash. They didn't look like there was too much blood on them, but I know she would feel better about wearing them if they were clean.

I decided that Keira and I need pancakes. I set up the island and made her a fruit smoothie just in case. I was just finishing up when Keira came down the stairs. She looked pale and shakey. I gently sat her at the island and poured her a glass of smoothie.

"Drink this, you'll feel better," I explained.

She nodded at me. "Why are you doing all this?" she asked when I put a plate of pancakes in front of her.

"You really haven't figured it out?" I asked with a smile. She just stared at me. "I like you and right now you need a friend," I explained. "Now eat. Bobby gave me some sedatives so you can nap today but you need something in your stomach first," I said.

She ate a pancake and drank the smoothie. It wasn't a ton of food but it would be enough for the sedative. I found my mind wandering to Stephanie. If Stephanie had a day like today she would have had five pancakes drenched in butter and syrup. She also would've made me use chocolate chips and whip cream.

I handed Keira the sedative and a glass of water. She took it and then looked at me. "Now what?" she asked.

"We're going to go up to my room and get into bed. I'm going to put on a movie and you're going to sleep. Are you okay with that?" I asked her.

"Yeah...Lester? I'm sorry I didn't thank you earlier. If you hadn't shot him, he would've…"she trailed off.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry I couldn't have prevented him from grabbing you," I apologized.

"It's not your fault. I was listening to my iPod. I wasn't paying attention," she said shaking her head.

"It wasn't your fault either," I said as I gently pulled her up from her chair and then hugged her to my chest. I buried my nose in her hair. I don't remember the last time I was so scared. Seeing her with the knife to her throat and the blood running down her neck was a nightmare I wouldn't soon forget.

All I want to do is protect her. That asshole got his hands on her, I was glad he was dead. If he had gone any further I would've made his death slow and painful.

Keira looked dead on her feet, so I gently picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. I put on a movie and tucked her in with me. She cuddled up to me immediately, she was seeking comfort and I was just glad to be the one providing it for her.

Now, maybe she'd at least let me take her to freaking dinner.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N- Anything you recognize is JE's creation.**

**No Beta- my mistakes are my own.**

**Thanks so much for all the support! I try to message every reviewer back so if your PM is turned off or you're a guest just know that I've read them and appreciate them!**

Chapter 10

Lester's POV

I lay with Keira wrapped in my arms until she fell asleep. Once she was out cold, I gently dislodged myself and went to the kitchen to clean up. After the kitchen was clean I switched her clothes to the dryer and then made some phone calls. If I had my way, I'd have Keira stay with me until she found a new apartment. I may not know her well, but I know she'd never agree to that. She needs to get the fuck outta there. Hopefully, I can make her see reason.

A few hours later, Vince pulled up. He walked into my house carrying grocery bags.

"Yo!" he called out.

"Yo," I answered from the kitchen.

Vince walked in and set the grocery bags on the counter. "Ella told me you called and she told me I needed to bring you these. Any particular reason you couldn't get your own groceries?" he asked mildly.

"Takedown went bad this morning. Meth head grabbed a hostage; we were able to take him out. The hostage was a little shaken up and didn't have anyone to look after them," I explained.

Vince leaned against the counter and folded his arms. "Let me guess, the hostage just happens to be a hot single girl who is now recovering in your bed," he said with a grin.

"It's not like that," I tried to argue. _It's not exactly like that._

"Whatever man. I get it. You're now her hero. You may as well enjoy that while it lasts," he said as he turned to go.

"Thank for bringing groceries," I called after him.

"As if I had a choice! Ella asked me. Who says 'no' to Ella?" Vince called over his shoulder as he left my house.

I pulled Keira's clothes from the dryer and went back to the bedroom. She was still sleeping and I climbed back into bed with her. She looked really small and vulnerable when she was sleeping. It was cute and brought out my protective side. I gently pulled her into my arms. Her head was on my shoulder and I began playing with her hair.

I felt her stirring. "What time is it?" she asked softly.

"It's just after five," I said quietly.

"I slept all day?" she asked in confusion.

I chuckled. "It was a strong sedative," I explained.

"No shit," she answered. She pulled herself from my arms and sat up. "Thank you, for today. For everything. You didn't have to do this. Next time you see Bobby, thank him for me as well. I wasn't thinking straight this morning and I forgot too," she explained.

"That's understandable. Don't worry about Bobby," I said. "You want to shower?" I offered.

"If you don't mind," she said.

"Not at all, I washed your clothes," I said getting up and handing her the clothes.

"Thank you," she said. I shrugged. Keira showered and changed and found me in the kitchen waiting for her.

"I know I've said this a lot but thanks again. I'm going to head back home and I just want you to know that I really do appreciate everything you've done for me," she said awkwardly.

"Good to know. But I'm coming with you," I said firmly. "Please, for once, don't argue with me and this isn't something we're going to be negotiating. I'm coming and I'm staying the night. If you're okay tonight, then I'll leave tomorrow morning," I said.

Keira looked like she was going to argue but she ended up just nodding her head. I grabbed the grocery bags and we went back to Keira's place. The crime scene tape was gone and the scene was almost completely cleaned up, except for the tell tale bloodstain on the floor.

"You alright?" I asked as we approached her place.

"I'm fine," she said as she dug out her keys.

Her place was clean but slightly Spartan. There were no pictures of friends, nothing decorative hanging on the walls, the place was functional. I did I quick scan of the place. _I fucking knew it!_

"Roommate?" I asked her with raised eyebrows.

"I lied. I just wanted you to think I'd have someone looking for me, just in case you were a psycho," she admitted.

"If you were that nervous, why did you come home with me?" I asked.

"Matty said you were a friend. Not to mention you promised me at least two orgasms and a nice shower. It's the best offer I'd had in a while," she explained.

I found myself smiling; she somehow made the craziest things sound logical.

Keira went to change. As soon as she was out of sight I picked up her cell phone. I quickly scanned through the numbers and found what I was looking for. Keira has my number in her phone. _Interesting, why would she program my number into her phone if she was never going to call. I knew I was getting to her! _

Keira came out in pajama pants and a tank top. She still looked damn good. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked.

"No. You're going to sit down and let me handle things," I said.

I took the groceries into her small kitchen and unpacked them. She ate really well. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables were in the fridge, the cabinets had whole grain pasta and brown rice. She'd fit right in at RangeMan. There were also a few bottles of Ensure in the fridge, I thought this was odd but shrugged it off. "You eat really healthy, impressive," I commented.

"I'm almost thirty. My metabolism isn't what it was in college. Can't land a hot husband if I get fat," she said.

"Thought you weren't interested in dating," I said with a smile.

"I'm not," she said. She looked me straight in the eyes and said, "I'm really not."

I just nodded casually.

I poured her a glass of wine and sat her on the couch. I took over the kitchen and made us dinner. Ella sent me ingredients for lemon and herb chicken with wild rice and asparagus. I really owe that woman. I can cook but she made sure to send me something quick and easy so I didn't have to spend two hours in the kitchen.

Keira and I sat down at her small table and chairs and began eating. "This is really good. Thank you," she said.

"You sound surprised," I said.

"I shouldn't be, but when we first met I thought you were just a man whore," she said.

I mentally winced. That's not exactly the impression you want to give to a girl your interested in…especially if it's true.

"Now?" I asked.

"I don't know. You're not what I expected," she said.

"What did you expect?" I pushed her.

"Honestly? I thought you were going to be dumb, vain and boring," she said.

I snorted. _Well, I asked for it_.

"Now, that you know me a little better?" I asked.

"You're none of those things," she said quietly. "Maybe a little vain," she added with a smile.

I just grinned at her. We continued eating in comfortable silence. Now it was time to talk to her about her living situation.

"Keira, this place isn't safe. This isn't a good area and I don't know if you realized this but your neighbors consists of drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes," I explained.

"I realized that pretty quickly. I'm looking for a new place. My relocation from Washington was fast, I didn't have a lot of time to find a place, so I took what I could get," she explained.

I nodded. "I brought a better lock which I'm going to install. Are you cool with that?" I asked.

She nodded. "I am. Again, thank you. I feel like I've said it a hundred times today but it still doesn't feel like enough. You really don't have to do all this. I'm fine," she said.

_Liar. _"I'm sure you are, but I'd feel better installing the lock," I said.

After dinner, Keira cleaned the kitchen while I installed the lock. We watched television for awhile and Keira fell asleep on the couch. I could've woken her up, but I like carrying her so I ignored her half asleep protests and carried her to the bedroom. I washed up in the bathroom then crawled into bed next to her. It was a long day and I fell asleep almost immediately.

I woke up to the most amazing feeling in the world. Kiera was kissing down my stomach and just as I became fully aware, she began going down on me. I moaned and ran my hands through her hair. _She's really good at that. _

I was thoroughly enjoying Keira's mouth when unpleasant thoughts began creeping into my head. _Is this taking advantage of her? She was almost sexually assaulted less than 24 hours ago, this can't be right. FUCK!_

"Keira," I stopped her. _Oh. My. God. I am a fucking saint. I'm going to have the worst case of blue balls because of this. _"You don't have to do this. We can just sleep," I explained.

"Lester, stop talking," she said right before her mouth crashed onto mine.

What little control I had snapped once I felt Keira's tongue in my mouth. We ripped off our clothes and found a way to forget about all the shit that happened the day before.

We woke up the next morning and had sex again. I felt like I was finally getting somewhere with Keira. She rinsed off in the shower and threw on some gym clothes. She gave me a towel and I showered while she fixed breakfast.

"So how was it?" she asked me with a small smile and raised eyebrows.

"It's like getting pissed on by a giant. It's fucking terrible!" I said after my horrific shower.

"Now you know why I was willing to go home with a strange man," she said with a laugh.

I closed the distance between us and took her face in my hands. "You're done going home with other men. When are we going to dinner?" I asked softly.

Keira chewed the inside of her cheek. "Lester, I can't," she said.

"Why are you being so stubborn? What's one night out?" I asked her.

"Just drop it. Okay?"she begged.

I was so frustrated with her. What the fuck was her problem? We had sex multiple times, we had dinner together, she's willing to cuddle up to me and use my shower, but I'm not good enough to date? I lost my temper.

"I never thought I'd be the one to say this. But you have fucking issues!" I shouted.

She shrugged at me. _That's all I get in response?_ I just glared at her then turned around, grabbed my bag and stormed out of her apartment. I called Bobby to come pick me up and take me back to RangeMan. Keira didn't even try to come after me.

I buried myself in work for the next two weeks. I interviewed candidates for the Administrative Assistant position, plowed through paperwork and spent more time in the field. Anything to get my mind off Keira.

I ended up working a straight thirty-six hour shift when a stakeout went twelve hours longer than we anticipated. I was now at the hospital with Bobby who was getting our FTA stitched up before he took him to the cop shop.

"Dude, you're exhausted. Cal's on his way. Take the car and go home. Tank and I talked, your officially off for the next twenty-four hours, you are not to step foot in the office. Medic's orders," Bobby said.

I was going to argue, but I couldn't even think straight at this point. I was walking down the hallway when I almost knocked over a small woman. I bumped into her as she came around the corner. I'm 6'2'' and she practically bounced off of me. I grabbed her arm to keep her from falling.

"Keria?" I asked incredulously. _God's punishing me. He has to be the way he keeps shoving this woman into my fucking life. Why can't I just get a break?_

I looked down at Keira's face. She looked like shit. She was pale and seemed unsteady of her feet. She was also looking up at me with a horrified expression.

"What are you doing here? Are you alright?" I asked in a worried voice. _Fuck! Why do I care? Why did I ask that? Shit. _

"I'm fine. I was just leaving. I was…I mean…I was visiting someone," she stuttered. _Mentirosa! _I don't know why she continues to lie when she's so bad at it. The only time I've ever believed one of her lies was the roommate one, and that was always suspect.

Just then an older nurse walked around the corner. "Keira! Good dear, I'm glad I caught you. You forgot your appointment card. We'll see you back here in eight weeks! Oh is this you're ride home? I'm so glad you're here. We all worry when she takes a cab back," the nurse said.

"I worry too. That's why I came to get her," I said giving the nurse a charming smile. Kiera looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.

"Make sure she gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids," the nurse instructed me.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said to the nurse.

"You're so lucky to have such a kind young man in your life. Hold on to him," the nurse said giving her a wink before she turned and went back down the hallway.

Keira somehow was even paler and her mouth was hanging open. "I don't even know what to say right now," she said quietly as she slowly closed her eyes in embarrassment.

"Do you want to tell me what that was all about?" I asked.

"I do not," she answered.

"Why don't you try?" I urged her.

"God hates me. I'm being punished for having a one night stand. It was supposed to be one night of fun and then we were never going to see each other again and this is his way of telling me that I'm an idiot," she groaned as she covered her face with her hands.

I couldn't help but smile a little. She had a way of being funny without really trying to be.

"It's like a UTI! Just when you think it's gone it comes roaring back!" she exclaimed.

I chuckled. "You're comparing me to a UTI? I guess it could've been worse. You could've compared me to herpes," I teased.

"I thought about it, but if felt to mean," she admitted.

I sighed. I was tired. "Come on slugger, I'll take you home," I said.

"Its fine Lester, I can take a cab. I usually do," she explained.

"Nope, come on. I already know where you live," I said.

She bit the inside of her cheek but then followed me to my car. I drove her back to her place and she took a long look at me. "You don't look okay," she said to me_. Like she should talk, she was practically swaying on her feet. _

"Thirty-six hour shift. I have the next twenty-four off. I'm going to go home and live every man's dream," I said.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"I'm going to spend the next twenty-four hours sleeping, playing video games and jerking off. After the shit week I've had, nothing sounds better," I explained.

"You look like you're falling asleep behind the wheel. Come in and sleep for thirty minutes then drive home," she said.

I was about to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but my vision was beginning to blur. I was in no shape to drive. I sighed and turned off the car.

Keira led me into her apartment. I unceremoniously stripped off my clothes and crawled into her bed. To my surprise she crawled into bed with me and cuddled up to my body. I wrapped my arms around her and was asleep in seconds.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

**Any guesses what's going on with Keira? I've been trying to leave subtle hints but I think it will still surprise most people.**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- Mistakes are my own and I apologize for them

Warning: These are adults who think, act and behave like adults. If you are easily offended please don't continue to read. Thanks!

Chapter 11

Lester's POV

I woke up with a start. I was looking around a vaguely familiar bedroom. It was now dark out_. What the hell happened?_ I remembered the stakeout and then Bobby and I were at the hospital. I was on my way home when I ran into…Keira. _Fuck._ I was at Keira's. I groaned as I began pulling myself out of bed_. Why do I keep doing this to myself? I'm a glutton for fucking punishment that's why. _

Keira wasn't in bed. I noticed my clothes were folded on the edge of the bed. I picked them up, they were clean. She washed my clothes. She also had a towel waiting for me next to my clothes. I thought for a second and I grabbed the towel and headed to the bathroom. I could hear movement in the kitchen, so I know Keira was still in the apartment.

I went and showered in her shitty no pressure shower and then put on my clean clothes. I have to admit I felt better. I walked into the living room where I was met by intoxicating smells coming from the kitchen. My stomach rumbled. I don't remember the last time I'd eaten.

I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame. Keira was in jeans and a t-shirt messing with something on the stove. I cleared my throat to get her attention. She jumped and let out a yelp as she whipped around holding a butcher knife defensively. I didn't even bother saying anything, I just raised my eyebrows.

"You're awake! I didn't hear the shower running," she said as she slowly but down the knife.

"Jumpy still?" I asked her seriously.

She flushed slightly. "Maybe a little," she mumbled. I fought the urge to go hug her and smell her hair.

"Thanks for washing my clothes. I didn't mean to sleep as long as I did. What time is it anyways?" I asked her.

"7:00pm. I was just finishing up dinner. Will you eat with me?" she asked nervously.

I didn't say anything I just looked at her face. She looked considerably better than she did this morning. That nap must have done her some good.

"Please? I need to apologize to you. You've been amazing to me and I've been a complete asshole," she said.

"Yes Quierda, I will eat with you," I finally answered. "Do you need help with anything?" I asked her.

"Nope, it's all done. Just go sit at the table and I'll bring you a plate," she instructed.

I went and sat down at her small table and she emerged from the kitchen holding a plate of food and a beer for me. She made roast pork loin which was marinated with ginger, teriyaki, garlic and chili flakes. Also there was garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. The potatoes were surprising light.

We were eating silently for a few minutes. "This is really good Keira, I didn't know you could cook," I said.

"I can get by. I'm not that good and I don't enjoy it, but I do it," she said.

"Why did you go to all this trouble?" I asked.

"You've been really good to me when I didn't deserve it. I wanted to do something nice for you," she said slowly.

"You deserve to be taken care of Keira. I don't know what your issues are but someone once told me that if your approaching thirty it's time to get over them or seek professional help," I said giving her a small smile.

"I had a completely normal child hood. My parents are still together, I was never even spanked, and I didn't have a weird neighbor molest me. I'm just not in a position to get involved with someone," she said returning my smile.

"So that's the bottom line?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said.

"Just admit, one time, that you have feelings for me," I asked. "You know that there's something between us," I pointed out.

She sat quietly for a moment as if she was trying to process her feelings and come up with an honest answer. That must be difficult for her, considering how often she lies.

"There's something between us. It just doesn't change anything," she said.

"The hell it doesn't!" I said, maybe a little too forcefully.

"Les, I like you. I would like to be friends, but that's all it can be," she said.

_Friends? I've been friend zoned? Fuck that noise. If she thinks she can handle just being friends with me, she has another thing coming. _

"If that's what you want," I said.

She nodded. We finished dinner and then I helped her clean up. I got ready to go and before I left I grabbed her and kissed her.

She melted into my arms and kissed me back. I slowly started walking her back toward the bedroom and she was letting me. We collapsed on the bed I pulled off her shirt and she pulled off mine desperately. I began kissing her neck and she was letting out soft sighs as she ran her hands up and down my back. I kissed her chest and removed her bra and began massaging and kissing her breasts, paying special attention to her lovely responsive nipples.

Our pants were off and my hands were in her panties. I massaged her clit and I could tell she was close. I moved my face down and used my tongue to finish her. She arched her back and this time moaned "Lester." I didn't even try to hide my satisfied smile.

I put on condom and turned her on her side where I entered her from behind. She circled her hips while I thrust and stroked her. I held out until she came again before finally letting go.

We were catching our breaths and she turned to look at me. "We're still just friends," she pointed out.

I let out a sharp laugh. "Of course Hermosa. You're the best fucking friend I've ever had," I laughed.

She went to hit me in the arm and I caught her hand. Our eyes locked for a moment and then I kissed her passionately. That's all it took, once again we began another session of mind blowing sex.

_The friend zone can suck it. _

I left the next morning and Keira said that we can't continue to sleep together. I told her I would never do anything to make her uncomfortable. I meant that part. But, let's be honest, Keira and I can barely be in the same room without ripping off each other's clothes. She'll eventually realize that. I'm going to back off for a little while and then start applying a more pressure.

I went back to work feeling better than I have in months. I was getting excited about the idea of finally handing off some of the paperwork. We were all meeting in the conference room with our candidates. My candidate was John Pitcher. Nice, clean cut, recent college grad that we could mold into whatever we needed.

Tank was sitting with an older Asian woman. I sat down and we made the introductions. The woman's name was Anne Yang and she used to be an assistant at a dental office. She was bored with the work and looking for a new challenge. We were still waiting on Bobby so we all began to make small talk.

Bobby finally walked in with Keira who was dressed smartly in a suit. _What the fuck is she doing here?_

Keira shot me a strange look when she walked in. _What the hell is going on?_ Introductions were made and we all broke to go to our offices where we'd each individually meet with the candidates for interviews. I had Anne first. She was very sweet and intelligent. I worried she was too sweet. The guys who work here are tough, crass and can be difficult. Ella has been able to handle them, because Ella has an edge. Ella keeps everyone in line.

Keira was next. "What the hell is going on?" I asked her.

"I came here to ask you the same thing. Bobby contacts me out of the blue and offers me my dream job, complete with new apartment and a ridiculous benefits package. This is a day after I have a marathon sex session with his partner. The timing is more than a little strange," she said angrily with her hands on her hips.

"Keira, I had nothing to do with this. I promise you," I said.

Her anger deflated. "So this job is real?" she asked slowly.

"It is. Are you really interested?" I asked her.

"Yes, but only if you think we can actually work together and we can't hook up," she said.

"There's no RangeMan policy about dating," I said.

"You don't call what we do dating, do you?" she asked with a smile.

"I would if you let me," I laughed. "Our other partner is currently on his honeymoon with the only female field employee RangeMan has ever had," I explained.

"Gotcha," she said.

"So we can keep hooking up?" I asked with a grin.

She glared at me. "No! I will not have people thinking that I'm sleeping with my boss!" she said.

_Well then, we'll have to keep it a secret._

Bobby, Tank and I met back in the conference room. "Bobby, she's way over qualified for the position we had in mind," Tank began.

"I know! I was thinking about it and I think we went to small. We don't need an assistant; we need someone to run the office. We all hate it. This would free us up to concentrate on what we're best at. Have you seen her resume? She could be a huge asset! I've also seen her attitude, she won't get intimidated by the guys here," Bobby said.

All of this is true. She would be a huge asset to RangeMan. Tank sat back and thought about it. "What makes you think she'll take it? She's been with the same firm for almost six years?" he asked.

"I've seen where she lives. She also can't get any higher at her current job. She's twenty-eight and she's professionally peaked at her current job. Also, we can pay her more and offer her an apartment where she feels safe. Why wouldn't she take this job?" Bobby said.

"Lester?" Tank asked me.

"She's by far the most qualified and I agree that we need and Office Administrator. We can't keep going like we're going," I said.

"Bring her in," Tank finally said.

Bobby grinned and jumped up to get Keira. She entered looking calm and collected. She sat down and Tank formally offered the job. She immediately accepted and it was agreed she start in two weeks.

Keira Morgan was officially part of the RangeMan family.

Two weeks later Keira moved into an apartment on four. Conveniently next to mine. What? It just happened to be empty. As are others, but that particular apartment is the nicest, in my opinion. I may have also installed an amazing shower head with massager. I left a little note on it asking her to think of me when she uses it.

Keira showed up at my office dressed in black pants and a button down black shirt at 9:00am Monday morning. "Thanks for the shower massager," she said holding up my little note.

"Well now that we're not allowed to hook up, I figured I would help you out, so you wouldn't be banging down my door whenever you're in the mood," I said grinning at her.

"You're very kind Mr. Santos," she said.

"I'm a giver," I explained.

Bobby knocked on the door. "Ready to meet the core team?" he asked her.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

We entered the conference room and gathered around the table were Tank, Ram, Vince, Zero, Manny, Hal, Cal and Hector. This was RangeMan's core team and the men Keira would be spending most of her time with besides the partners.

The men got up and formed a line to meet Keira and shake her hand. Vince made a big show of looking her up and down which had Keira rolling her eyes. Hal blushed a little when they shook hands, but the best was Keira's reaction to Cal.

Cal was 6'4'' with a shaved head and a flaming skull tattooed at the top of his forehead. Keira jumped when Cal went to shake her hand. The room broke into snickers. Keira looked around at all the smirks.

"Okay, you clearly didn't get that tattoo to demonstrate what a gentle soul you are. So why am I the asshole for having the intended reaction to it?" she asked Cal as she folded her arms in front of her.

Cal's face broke into a big smile. "I like her," he said to Bobby and me.

Keira looked at Cal's face and broke into a smile of her own. "Now, I get the tattoo. With those dimples and big blue eyes you'd be way too cute without it. You need something to intimidate the bad guys," she said grinning at him.

Cal continued to grin at her. I wanted to punch Cal in the face.

We continued our meeting without incident and now it was time for Keira to address all the men. We had them waiting in the breakroom. If she was nervous she didn't show it.

"Gentlemen, my name is Keira Morgan and I'm the new Office Administrator for RangeMan. I will be reporting directly to the partners and will be in charge of the day to day administrative operations. I am also your HR director. If you have questions regarding health benefits, life insurance or company polices you are longer to bother the partners, you're going to be bothering me. I have an open door policy, which means my door is usually open and if it is feel free to come in. If it's closed, don't. Don't even bother knocking unless there is an actual emergency. I'm probably in there with someone discussing something that's none of your business. Any questions so far?" she asked.

"What happens is there is a sexual harassment issue?" grinned Binkie.

"RangeMan has a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment. If you want to feel up Junior then make sure it's consensual. If you feel like you're being sexually harassed I am the person that you would talk to. Any other questions?" she asked.

"What happens if you're the person who's sexually harassing us?" asked Vince.

"I'm the HR director I know better. If I'm going to sexually harass one of you it will be off company grounds and not on company time. If you feel threatened by me you can always go to one of the partners," she replied.

"Good to know!" someone from the back shouted.

"That's all for now. Thank you for your time," she said calling an end to the meeting.

"She handled that well," Tank mumbled. I nodded my agreement.

Over the next several weeks Keira managed to fit in well at RangeMan. She was fun to work with and everyone seemed to like her. But at night she didn't hang out with any of us. She'd go to the gym, go to the store and sometimes she'd make plans with former coworkers for a drink but mostly she just stayed in and stayed away from all of us.

I tried to get back to my normal habits of going out with the guys and hooking up. It all felt stale and old. I found myself trying to spend more and more time with Keira during the work day. Unfortunately, I noticed some of the other guys trying to do the same thing.

I overheard Vince talking to Ram how it was open season as far as she was concerned.

Only one thought crossed my mind: _Mine_.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- the mistakes are my own and I apologize for them.

Chapter 12

Lester's POV

Bobby, Tank and I were gathered in the conference room having a meeting with Dr. Cedric Burke. Burke is the RangeMan psychologist. Every new employee is evaluated by Burke during their first month. We decided to keep this policy even though Keira doesn't handle field work.

The rule is that Burke will talk to the partners about the general health and happiness of the employee and ways we could help them but he will never get into specifics unless the person is a danger to themselves or others.

"What do you think Burke?" Tank said.

"I think she'll do a great job. She's clever, witty and personable. I'd even recommend using her with clients once she's up to speed," Burke said.

"I was thinking the same thing," Tank agreed.

"Negatives?" Bobby asked.

"I think it would be beneficial for you all to push her socially. She's very comfortable in a work environment but tends to shy away from social ones. RangeMan is a family and I think we'd be good for her if she let us," Burke said.

"We can talk to the core team about trying to spend more time with her outside the office," Tank suggested. I bristled at the thought but remained silent.

"I'd like to keep seeing her. Or if she'd prefer someone else, I could recommend someone," Burke said.

"Is she really in need of therapy?" I asked.

"I think everyone could use some form of therapy. But with her moving to a new city and starting a new job it would be good for her to have an objective person to talk too," he said.

"I'll let her know and give her the options," I said.

We left the meeting and I headed to Keira's office. She was typing furiously on her laptop when I walked into her office.

"What's up Les?" she asked looking up at me.

"Just met with Burke, he'd like to keep seeing you. If you're not into him he said he could recommend someone else," I said.

Keira paused and sat back in her chair. She looked like she was debating something. "Okay," she finally said. "I'll see Burke," she finished.

"You're sure? Same rules of disclosure apply if you see him," I warned her.

"Yeah, that bothers me a little but I really like him," she shrugged.

Bobby then stuck his head in. "Yo, Keira! Pizza and beer at Shorty's tonight?" he asked.

"I'd love to but I can't," she said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"My thighs are currently touching, it's giving me low self-esteem," she explained as she continued to work.

I snorted and Bobby shook his head.

"You're such a girl," he sighed.

"My chromosomes apologize for that," she answered back without looking up from her work.

Bobby shot me a look. He really wanted to get her out. "Hey, when's your next spin class?" he asked casually.

"I'm going tomorrow night at seven, why?" she asked.

"Uh…a bunch of the guys said that they wanted to check it out," he explained.

The room froze for a second as both Keira and I turned to him in disbelief. "Some of the _guys_ want to go to spin class with me," Keira repeated giving Bobby a level look.

"Yeah, is that okay?" Bobby asked nervously.

"Sure," Keira said as she went back to work shaking her head.

Bobby and I walked out of her office. "Spin class?" I asked him.

"I had to try something!" he said desperately.

"Good luck talking some of the guys into that one!" I laughed.

"Don't laugh dude, we're both going!" he hissed. I groaned, but I knew I would be there if it meant I could spend time with Keira.

The next night we gathered outside Keira's apartment and banged on the door. She threw the door open and looked at Bobby, me, Vince, Cal, Hector and Junior. "You're all serious about this?" she asked.

"Of course, Baby!" Vince said giving her a flirty grin.

"Christ Almighty," Keira muttered as she grabbed her bag and closed the door.

We went to spin class and it was mostly women. There were several extremely good looking women so most of the guys Bobby had to bribe were pretty happy. A few of women greeted Keira when she walked in with all of us and she made the introductions. "I've never been so popular," she muttered to me.

"You jealous, Gorgeous?" I whispered in her ear.

Keira just shot me a look.

Cal's jaw dropped open when he saw the instructor. She was a tough looking chick with black hair and sleeve tattoo. She was right up his ally. He was practically drooling on himself. Keira couldn't help but smile when she saw his reaction.

The class was hard and it wasn't as emasculating as I thought it would be. I really enjoyed watching Keira work out, she doesn't fuck around. She pushed herself hard and she had the results to prove it. Her body looked amazing in her tight clothes and I was having a hard time concentrating.

Bobby was pleased that we finally took Burke's advice and did something social with Keira. He takes Burke's recommendations seriously and is determined to befriend Keira. Bobby goes out just like the rest of us, and I admit he treats the women he hooks up with about the same as we all do, but underneath it all he's a guy who really cares once he gets to know someone. I think he really cares about Keira and genuinely likes her. I just hope he's not becoming too attached. I haven't told anyone about my "relationship" with Keira. People seem to pick up on the fact that we're close, but she's become close with Bobby and Tank as well.

I showered and thought about Keira being in the shower at her place right next door. I couldn't take it anymore; I just need to see her. I threw on some basketball shorts and knocked on her door. It took a little longer than I expected and when she opened it, it was clear she had just gotten out of the shower herself. She was wrapped in a towel. I took one look at her and my body began overriding my brain.

"Shit," I breathed as my eyes traveled up and down her body.

Keria's eyes widened and she looked like she might shut the door in my face. I never gave her a chance to react. I pushed her into the apartment, slamming the door behind me. The towel and shorts were gone in seconds and we never made it to the bedroom.

We were catching our breath in the hallway. I had my arms around Keira and was kissing her wet hair. "Just so you know, I wasn't planning on doing that," I said.

"Why did you knock on my door then?" she asked me.

"I can't remember. Once I saw you in that towel, I only had one thought," I chuckled. "Come on Quierda, its cold on the floor. Lets warm you up in bed," I whispered as I pulled Keira up and led her back to the bedroom.

An hour later, Keira was back in my arms with her head on my chest. "If you want me to stay the night, I will," I said, already knowing the answer.

"What would you say to all the guys?" she asked me with a laugh.

"Anything you wanted me to or nothing at all," I answered honestly. "I still want to take you on an actual date, all you have to do is say yes," I pointed out.

"Wouldn't that get in the way of your other activities?" Keira asked.

I clenched my jaw slightly. I knew it would be impossible to keep my going out and hook ups a secret if she was living and working here. But at the same time, it's none of her business considering she keeps turning me down.

"That's not fair and you know it. You can't have it both ways. If you agree to go on a date with me, I promise you I will be completely faithful until we make a decision regarding our relationship. But we both know you're not going to say yes to me right now," I said.

She sighed. "You're right and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," she said.

"It's fine. I want you to really try with Dr. Burke, I don't know what's going on with you, but if anyone can help he can," I said. She stayed silent for a moment. "Please Keira, just do this one thing for me," I begged as I picked up her hand kissing it. She looked me in my eyes and nodded. I think this may be one of the few times that Keira Morgan has been honest with me.

I threw my basketball shorts on and Keira put on some pajamas. I gave her a kiss. "If you ever want to do that again just leave your door unlocked," I whispered.

Keira bit her bottom lip but I could tell she was biting back a wicked grin.

"By the way, you're sexy as hell when you're jealous," I said before walking out of her bedroom.

I felt a pillow hit my back and I just turned around and grinned at her. I had no doubt that there would be multiple nights that Keira's door was unlocked.

We began having sex several times a week. Some nights her door would be locked. I checked every night. My favorite was coming in a little after midnight. She'd have just fallen asleep and I had fun waking her up in new and different ways. I also found myself going out less and when I did I wasn't picking up as often. Whenever I did pick up a woman, I felt like I was just going through the motions and half the time I'd end up ditching the chick at the bar and just going home. I didn't want any of them. Keira never mentioned my "extracurricular activities" again. We continued to use condoms and I began a no oral policy with anyone but her.

It didn't take long before I stopped hooking up completely. I had a plan when I went out with the guys. I would go out, hit on a chick, walk her to her car and then I would leave. I always ended up in Keira's bed. I would meet the guys at whoever's apartment on four, have a beer and recap a fake night.

I was thinking about my Friday night in Keira's bed at the Monday morning meeting. Keira walked in and immediately got everyone's attention.

"Holy shit," breathed Bobby when he saw Keira's appearance.

"Damn woman!" shouted Ram.

"Looking good Bonita," said Manny.

Keira light brown hair was now a golden blonde. She looked HOT. I immediately began wondering if I could get her to have lunch in her apartment so we could have some fun.

"I like it," said Tank. "What made you decide to do it?" he asked.

"It's to cover up all the white hairs that you people are giving me. How hard is it to turn around your FTA reports in 48 hours?" she asked the group.

Everyone remained silent.

"I created a template which is in the company system. It prompts you! This is a five minute project for each FTA!" she said to the group.

"I think I liked brunette Keira better," said Junior.

Keira shot him a warning look. "Here's the deal. I'm monitoring the FTA reports and if you are consistently late, I'm going to check and see how many FTAs you're picking up. If you're picking up so many skips that you can't possibly finish the reports, then I will help you. If that's not the case, then we will be spending time together working on your time management skills. Any questions?" she asked.

"Brunette Keira was nicer," said Vince.

"No she wasn't," Keira shot back.

Tank was practically beaming with pride at her. She was really kicking ass at this job and was able to handle the guys and their attitudes. The partners were just complaining about the late FTA reports last week and now Keira just came down on the men so we don't have too. I don't know why we waited so long to hire and Office Administrator.

Things were finally running smoothly at RangeMan. Keira could fly through the paperwork that used to take Bobby, Tank and I forever. She helped us reorganize our system so that it was easier to search and keep track of clients. True to her word, her door was always open and she made sure she was always available to discuss any HR issues.

My favorite part of the week was 5:00pm on Thursdays. We have a meeting Friday morning which Keira creates packets for. She puts them together late Thursday afternoon. She puts on some music in her office and dances around while she puts them together. I was walking by once and caught her. She was completely unaware and she looked so damn cute. All the partners have access to the security cameras from their computers. Every Thursday afternoon, I'd pull up the security camera feed from Keira's office and watch her dance around. What? Her door is open! If it was closed I would've never invaded her privacy. At least that's what I like to tell myself.

I was leaning back in my chair watching her wiggle and dance around her office while she quietly sang along to the song. I then noticed a figure leaning in her doorway watching her. Vince came into her office and then began dancing behind her. When Keira realized this, she jumped a little but Vince just grabbed her hand and twirled her around and they continued dancing. _What the fuck is this?_

Keira was smiling and they looked like they were having a good time and danced for another song. Keira was dancing with her back to him and Vince suddenly grabbed her and turned her around to face him. He grabbed her face and kissed her. Keira's arms were raised and to my relief didn't go around him. He broke the kiss and looked at her. She looked completely shocked.

"Let me know when you're ready Cutie," he said with a wink. He then walked out of her office.

Keira was standing in the middle of her office completely dumbfounded. I wanted to find Vince and call him to the mats for touching my woman. But she wasn't mine. _FUCK! _

I tried Keira's door that night and it was locked.

I thought things couldn't get much worse until Keira stormed into the conference room the next day fuming. My first thought was that she knew I had been spying on her and she was planning on cutting off my balls.

She stood up in front of the core team with her hands on her hips. "I want to know who did this!" she growled. Most of the guys looked around in confusion.

Bobby then cleared his throat slightly. "I know you're upset right now, but I think it's a good idea," he said slowly.

"_You _did this? How the hell did you get access to my email!" she demanded.

Hector slowly raised his hand.

"Hector!" she shouted in shock. "I used to like you," she said in exasperation.

"Hold on, what the hell is going on?" I finally asked.

"Hector and I signed Keira up for some online dating cites," Bobby explained.

_What the fuck?_

"How could you? This is completely inappropriate and my personal life is none of your business!" Keira seethed.

"I know. But Keira, you've been here for a few months and you never go out. You're an intelligent, funny, kind and beautiful woman. You should be dating. I figured you could just use this as practice. We will go through your matches and do backgrounds checks on the guys. All you have to do is go out on a few dates and just get your feet wet," Bobby said gently.

"Maybe I'm gay," she said.

Some of the guys snorted. "What?" she asked.

"Honey, we've seen the way you look at all of us. There is nothing gay about you," Manny said.

"I really hate all of you right now," she said as she flushed slightly.

"Please just try it, just a few dates and we'll get off you're back. Sweetheart, we all love and care about you and we're concerned," Bobby explained.

"I'm fine!" she said.

"We're not going to let this go. This would be the most expedient way for you to get us to drop it," Bobby said.

Keira slumped in a chair looking defeated. "I really don't want to do this," she tried to explain.

"Give me a good reason and you won't have to," Bobby negotiated.

Keira bit the inside of her cheek and remained silent.

"That's what I thought," Bobby said quietly. "Gentleman, Keira Morgan is officially back on the market, let's go through her matches and make sure the background check is thorough," Bobby said looking around the room.

Keira groaned, while I silently cursed.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta-mistakes are all mine and I apologize for them

Chapter 13

Lester's POV

Keira was PISSED. We don't work with a lot of females. Stephanie was the exception. We'd pry into her personal life, play jokes on her, tease her and she always just accepted us. Keira was used to working in a different type of environment. She was not pleased with people pushing themselves into her personal life. Unfortunately for her, she's working here. There are very few boundaries that we don't cross; you could almost call it part of our corporate culture.

I wasn't going to let Keira just start dating. There is no way in fuck, I could just sit back and let that happen. I decided to recruit Hector, considering he'd be the main one to run searches on Keira's potential dates. Hector's English isn't great, but he understands more then he lets on. Either way he's naturally closer to those of us who speak Spanish.

"Hector my friend, I need a favor," I began in Spanish.

"What do you need?" he asked me.

"I need you to make sure Keira is not set up with someone too good. No one dangerous, but if they can be a little…off. It would be much appreciated," I explained.

"You like the pretty one huh?" he said with a grin.

"Yeah, I just can't have her dating someone else. If you can make sure it doesn't get past the first date, I'll owe you," I said.

"Consider it done, this could be fun. But you need to protect me from her when he comes back from these dates," he said.

"Done. Thanks man," I said, knowing full well she'd probably blame Bobby anyways.

Keira had a first date in less than a week. She was meeting a guy named George for coffee on a Thursday night. A few of us were gathered in Bobby's apartment when she came in dressed for her date. She was in a bright coral dress with flats and a simple long sweater thrown over it. She looked beautiful. I forgot what she looks like in color.

There were whistles and cheers as she spun around for us. "Happy?" she asked Bobby.

"Very. You look beautiful Keira. I've noticed you've been wearing a lot of dresses lately. I like it," he said.

"My pants are becoming judgmental. Dresses are more forgiving," she explained.

Ram chuckled and shook his head. "Take a fucking compliment Morgan. You look nice," he said.

She threw him the finger as she grabbed her purse and walked out the door. I glanced at Hector who gave me a small smile and a nod.

Cal shifted uncomfortably. "Now, that she's gone, I think we need to talk about something," he said. We all turned our attention to Cal. "I caught Keira throwing up in the bathroom the other morning. Her office door wasn't shut all the way, so I just walked in and I heard her in her bathroom vomiting," he said slowly.

Vince sighed and spoke up. "I stopped by her apartment when she was at lunch and all she was eating was a little white rice. Like a quarter of a cup," he said.

_Holy shit. _

"She's always making comments about her weight and why she can't come out for pizza and beer," Bobby added.

"You guys think she has an eating disorder?" I asked.

"Yeah," said Ram. "I do," he finished.

That broke my heart. I just wanted to be there for her and she's just so fucked up in her head, she can't see how beautiful she really is. _Is that what Warren meant when he told her not to punish herself? Is she abusing her body? _I thought about how intensely she worked out. _How the fuck was it in my face the entire time and I never noticed it?_

"What do we do?" asked Manny.

"We need to confront her," said Bobby. "I don't want the entire company to know what's going on, so let's keep it within the core team. We can do it tomorrow in the medic's office. I want to avoid the conference room so rumors aren't started. She's supposed be helping me down there for inventory at 1400 hours. Can we all do that?" Bobby asked.

We all grimly nodded. Tank let out a sigh. I know that he and Keira have gotten close and he's mad at himself for not seeing it sooner. _Just like I am._

We broke out the beer and started playing video games. I tried not to think about Keira and her date or Keira and her food issues, but I couldn't concentrate. I eventually just handed the controller over to Zero.

It was less than two hours since she left when Keira stormed back into Bobby's apartment. She was holding something in her hand. She walked straight toward Bobby and chucked some sort of package at his head. Bobby nimbly dodged the flying object.

"What the hell?" he said.

"It's a vibrator! A fucking vibrator! My 'date' thought it would be a good way to break the ice on our first date. Within the first twenty minutes he felt the need to point out it has a remote and that maybe on our second date I could ditch my panties and we could have fun! Is this what dating is like now? Because if this is it, I have no problem dying alone!" she shrieked.

"Dude brought a sex toy to a first date at a coffee shop?" Vince asked incredulously.

"Yep. You cannot make me continue to do this. It was terrible and I stuck it out for an hour," she said glaring at Bobby.

Bobby winced and shot a look at Hector who shrugged.

"Want a beer little one?" Ram offered.

"Nope, I want my sex toy back and I'm going home," she said holding out her hand.

"Baby, I could be your sex toy," offered Vince.

"I don't need help being sexually frustrated, Vince. I got that one covered," she retorted as Bobby handed her back the package holding the vibrator.

She stormed out of her apartment and somehow I knew her door would be locked that night.

The next day we were gathered in the medic's office waiting for Keira. We tried to come up with a plan of attack. Bobby, Tank and I would take the lead and then the other guys were going to let her know what they've seen as evidence. The room was filled with tension.

Keira walked in with a clip board and stopped suddenly when she saw all of us. "What's going on?" she said nervously.

"Keira, please have a seat," Bobby said gently as he patted the padded table.

"This isn't a visit to my gynecologist; I will not be getting on the padded table. I'll stand," she said.

"Keira, we all love you and care for you. We're all really concerned about your behavior," I said. I tried to touch her but she moved slightly out of my reach and stared at my suspiciously.

"Will someone just come out and say what's going on?" she asked.

"We think you have an eating disorder," Tank said.

Keira snorted. "Let me assure you. I do not," she said.

"Keira, I heard you vomiting in your bathroom," Cal said.

"I know you haven't been eating much," offered Vince.

"This is serious. Honey, we're all really concerned," said Ram.

"I was sick. I do not have an eating disorder," she said firmly as she placed her hands on her hips.

Hector gasped and then nudged me. I looked at him and he gestured to Keira's stomach. When she placed her hands on her hips, the material on her dress began hugging her stomach. There was a definite bump.

I stared at her stomach while the guys continued to push her to admit her eating disorder. I flashed back to her office_. We didn't use a condom. We used condoms other times but they're not a 100% guarantee. She was pregnant with my child. It better be my fucking child. Why wouldn't she tell me? Was she planning on having an abortion! _

I felt the room spin slightly. "She's pregnant," I finally said.

Everyone froze and turned to her. Her face was horrified.

"Keira, are you pregnant?" Bobby asked.

"I'm not pregnant!" she said glaring at me. "And I don't have an eating disorder!" she said in exasperation.

"What's going on with your stomach then?" I demanded.

"Why were you throwing up?" asked Cal.

"You're barely eating!" said Tank.

Keira was at the end of her rope with all the questions being thrown at her. She was about to explode.

"I HAVE CROHN'S DISEASE!" she finally shouted over the continuous questions.

We all stopped talking and looked at her in confusion. _Huh? What the hell is Crohn's Disease?_

Bobby was the only one who reacted. "Shit Keira. I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"Are you all fucking happy now? Why is it so necessary to pry into my private life? You're all a bunch of gossipy bitches! I've worked in an office full of women that weren't nearly as intrusive!" she yelled. "Motherfuckers!" she shouted in frustration.

"And according to the American's with Disabilities Act, you can't fire me for this!" she said turning to Bobby, Tank and I.

"Sweetheart, please know that was the furthest thing from our minds," Bobby said gently.

She took a breath and covered her hand over her face for a moment. We all stood quietly giving her time to gather her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I lost my temper. I know you all care and I appreciate it but I really need you all to back off," she said tightly.

"Keira, this is of course your business. But I think everyone here would appreciate if you could explain a little bit about your condition," Tank said softly.

"I have an autoimmune disease. Basically my immune system thinks my digestive track is a foreign invader and attacks it. This causes lots of scar tissue, swelling and damage. Bobby can you help me on the table?" she asked.

Bobby nodded and we gave her room. Keira lay back on the table. "Bobby, feel around my appendix. Very gently," she said.

Bobby carefully pressed down on Keira's right side. Her body jerked and she bit back a groan. "Keira! That is a huge problem. You need to get this looked at immediately," Bobby said.

"What is it?" I asked nervously.

"She has a large mass in her intestines," he said.

"Relax, I already got it checked out. That mass is scar tissue," she explained as she sat up. "Here's what happens, I have a flare, my intestines swell and all the scar tissue creates a blockage. I start vomiting," she said. "I always keep Ensure, white rice and apple sauce in my apartment because once I get the vomiting under control I usually have to wait at least twelve hours before I can try to eat and then I have to be very careful with my diet and can only stomach certain things for another day or so. I exercise a lot because it can help alleviate my symptoms," she explained.

"How often are you hospitalized?" Bobby asked.

"Usually about every other month it gets bad," she admitted.

"What are you on?" he asked.

"Right now I get Remicade infusions at the hospital every eight weeks and I'm on Pentasa," she said.

"But you're still struggling with frequent flares. Has your disease ever been under control?" Bobby asked.

"No. I'm really trying to get my arms around it, but so far I've been unsuccessful," she admitted.

"How long ago were you diagnosed?" Tank asked.

"Three years," she sighed. _She's been living like this for years? Why the fuck was she keeping this from me?_

"I'm sorry," Tank said.

She shrugged. "I have work to do. I know you all do too," she said as she hopped off the table and walked out of the room.

"Bobby, how serious is this?" Tank said.

"Autoimmune diseases are extremely tricky. Every person is very different and getting her under control has clearly been a struggle. If she's not under control this could get really bad. The amount of scar tissue I felt is disturbing. She's going to be dealing with chronic pain, chronic fatigue not to mention the side effect of all the drugs she's on. I need to do some research. This isn't my field," he said.

We all made our way back to five to try and concentrate on work.

I needed to check on Keira.

Her office door was closed.

I stood outside of it just staring at the door for a solid five minutes before knocking and then walking in.

She was at her desk looking pale and tired. "You alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine," she answered not looking up at me.

"Why didn't you tell me? Do you think I can't handle this?" I asked her.

"There's nothing for you to handle. This is all on me," she said.

"It doesn't have to be," I said.

"Yes, it does. You don't even know what you'd be signing on for. Even if I get my disease under control, there is no cure. I will never be normal," she said.

"I don't give a shit about all that! I can handle this," I said earnestly.

"You don't even know what _this _is. What's going on right now, the vomiting, the pain and the swollen abdomen is just the tip of a very large iceberg that you know nothing about," she said. "Being with someone chronically ill isn't easy. Lots of people can't handle it," she explained.

"Why can't we just have a date?"I said.

"Because I can't get attached! Why do you always assume it's about you!" she shouted. "I need to take care of myself and concentrate on getting control over this before it gets worse. I can't begin to depend on someone who might not be there in the future," she explained.

"You think even if we didn't work out that I wouldn't be there for you?" I asked.

"I will not be anyone's obligation or charity case," she said coldly.

"What can I do?" I asked.

"Please, just leave me alone right now. I don't want to talk about this anymore," she said.

I wanted to argue, but she just seemed so tired. I slowly walked out of her office, shutting the door behind me.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We'll be learning more about Keira's condition in other chapters. Thanks for readin and I hope I surprised you!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- the mistakes are mine and I apologize for them

I thought it was time to hear from Keira. This is a shorter chapter without a ton of action, but it gives you a peak into her mind.

Chapter 14

Keira' POV

I was sitting in Dr. Burke's office. I kept replaying the scene in the medic's office over and over again in my head. Each time I got to the part where I told them I was sick, I cringed. I wasn't sleeping and I could barely look any of them in the eye. I was embarrassed and angry. Really angry.

_It was none of their business! Why couldn't they just leave me alone?_

_And Les! Fucking Les! Pregnant? Is he serious? I've been on the pill for years and we use condoms (well, most of the time). Was it just me or did he look let down when I told him no? Not this it matters. I wouldn't be able to carry a child in my current condition._ Having a child with Lester is just another little fantasy I can add to my list.

I tend to fantasize about a different life before I fall asleep. It helps distract me from my reality and the anxiety that it causes. It helps me sleep. I find myself fantasizing more and more lately, even in the middle of the day. Lester features in most of them. I'm beginning to think it's becoming an unhealthy obsession. I'd rather lie in bed and fantasize then go and live my life. _That's gotta be a problem._

"Keira?" Burke asked.

"Yes?" I replied.

"You haven't really said much since our session started ten minutes ago. What are you thinking about?" he asked me.

I didn't want to answer him. I wanted to go back to my apartment and hide.

"The core team thought I was bulimic and then they thought I was pregnant," I said with a laugh.

"So you told them you have Crohn's," he finished for me.

I nodded.

"How are you feeling now? Do you feel the need to isolate yourself?" he asked me.

Burke and I've done a lot of work on my tendency to isolate when things get bad. I hide from the world. I don't pick up the phone, I don't answer email, I basically go off the grid. Burke of course characterized this as an unhealthy pattern of behavior and something I need to work on.

I'm sick of listening to all the stuff I need to work on. I want to punch Dr. Burke in the face when he brings it up. My anger issue is also something I need to work on.

It's strange, the anger I feel. Most of the time I feel like I'm walking through life half awake, but when I get angry everything becomes vivid. I feel like I'm finally fully awake, even if it's just for a moment. I've never acted on my anger. Instead I get these strange, violent day dreams. Like when my doctor told me that my current treatment plan wasn't working and that we need to try something else. I imagined taking him by the back of the head and slamming his face repeatedly in to his desk.

Of course, I didn't do that. Instead, I told him that I was open to suggestions and ready to try anything that he thinks would help. He complimented me on my positive attitude.

Burke was the first one I started admitting all this stuff too. I was nervous he was going to tell me that I'm completely insane. But he didn't. He said I was dealing with the fact that I lost control of my own body and with that comes anger, depression and resentment.

"I'm sorry what did you ask?" I said shaking myself from my stupor.

"Are you feeling the need to isolate?" he asked me, apparently for the second time.

I nodded.

"Don't. Make plans. Get out of your apartment," he said.

"Who the hell am I supposed to call?" I asked him.

"Call Lester. I know he'd love to spend time with you," he suggested.

"He said he could handle it," I said quietly.

"Do you believe him?" he asked me.

"I think he means what he says. I also think he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about," I said.

"He doesn't. He's never dealt with something like this before. You can't expect someone to understand who hasn't been through it," he explained.

"Then how do I tell if he can handle it?" I asked.

"It may have to be a leap of faith," he said.

"I think I'm all tapped out on faith for the moment," I said with a small laugh.

"Now that your coworkers know, does it change the way you've been feeling?" he asked me.

I told Burke that I was stuck in purgatory. You're twenties are supposed to be the best time of your life and for the last three years I've been living on the side lines. I see friends, coworkers and strangers live their lives while I watch from a distance. At least, that's how it feels. I don't feel like I can move forward until I can get past this.

I shook my head. I was still in purgatory, an outsider, looking in at the life that I could have, if I wasn't sick. But the reality is that I am, and I always will be.

"How's Bobby's grand experiment to get you back into the dating world going?" he asked.

"The date was awful. The guy was a complete creep. I'm done," I said.

"I'd like you to continue. It will get you out and it's good for you to be socializing, even if you're not romantically interested," Burke said.

I sighed. "Is that part of my homework?" I asked.

"It is. But that's not it," Burke said.

"What else are you planning on torturing me with this week?" I asked.

"You need to take a compliment without some snappy comeback. Just say 'thank you,'" he started. "I also want you to count how many times you say the words 'I'm fine' and then figure out how many times you actually mean it," Burke said giving me a smile.

"Is that it?" I asked.

"No. Call Lester," he said.

"What happens if he wants to know why I'm calling?" I asked him.

"Tell him the truth. Tell him I told you to. Maybe discuss your other homework assignments. There's only one way you're going to know if he can handle this, and that's to let him in," Burked explained.

I sighed. Burke promised that he could get me to a better place but I had to listen to him and follow his instructions. Sometimes I would rather just isolate myself then get emotionally better. Emotions are overrated. I'm numb most of the time anyways.

"Keira, I know nothing I'm asking you to do is easy. If it was, you probably wouldn't need me," he pointed out.

I thought about that for a moment, I'm not sure I would've had the motivation to stick with therapy if it wasn't pushed on me. I know I couldn't do this by myself.

Dr. Burked ended our session and I walked to my car. I was just sitting in the parking lot letting my mind wander for awhile. I finally picked up my cell phone and scrolled to a number that I've actually never called.

At least I can cross one assignment off the list.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta-Mistakes are my own.

Chapter 15

Lester's POV

_I'm going to get fucked-up tonight._

Tonight was definitely a drinking night. I was going to go out with the boys and get drunk enough that I'll be able to turn off my brain and stop thinking about Keira.

I haven't seen Keira in two days; she didn't want to speak to any of us. I know she was at work but her door was always closed. I talked to Tank about it and he thought it was best if we gave her a little space for a few days. I found myself outside her office door multiple times during the day, but I never went in. I was a pussy.

I knew Keira must be suffering and I was frustrated that she wouldn't let me help her. She shoved us all away. I wasn't the only one who cared about her. We all did. But we pushed her too far and now she wants nothing to do with us.

I got out of the shower and was throwing on clothes when my cell phone rang with an unknown number.

"Yo!" I answered.

There was a pause before a female voice spoke. "Les? It's Keira," she said.

"Keira? Where are you? Are you okay?" I asked urgently. I gave Keira my phone number months ago and she's never used it. Something must be wrong.

"I just wanted to know if you're free tonight?" she said slowly.

I felt a smile spread across my face. "Are you asking me out?" I asked dropping my voice an octave.

"No. I'm not supposed to be alone. Burke suggested that I call you," she explained.

"If you need me, I'm there," I said.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"How are you feeling? Can you eat?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I avoided a flare. I'm much better," she said.

"Come by my apartment we'll go to the grocery story then come back here and make dinner," I suggested.

"That sounds nice. Are you sure? I'm not taking you away from something? I know its kinda last minute," she said.

"I didn't have any plans, Gorgeous. And even if I did, I'd be glad to break them for you." I said. Okay, so I lied. I didn't want her to back out if she heard I was breaking plans.

She paused. "Okay, I'm leaving Burke's office now. I'll see you in twenty?" she said.

"Looking forward to it," I said before hanging up.

I quickly called Bobby and let him know I was out for the night. When he asked why, I decided not to lie. I told him Keira called and needed a friend so I was going to stay in with her. Bobby offered to skip going out, but I told him that she still seemed a little fragile and I didn't want to overwhelm her. Bobby agreed and said he was going to try and stop by her place tomorrow to see if she was okay.

Twenty minutes later Keira arrived dressed casually in jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt. I thought she looked cute as hell.

"Can I hug you?" I asked. I didn't want to invade her personal space without her permission.

She let out a breath and then rose up on her toes as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I held her tightly against me and inhaled her perfume. I didn't realize just how worried I was about her until she was in my arms. She relaxed against me and I felt relieved that she was able to let her guard down with me, at least a little.

"Can we talk?" I asked her.

"Sure," she shrugged.

I got us glasses of water and then led her into the living room. We sat down on the couch not cuddling, she kept her distance from me. I restrained myself from pulling her close to me.

"How are things going with Dr. Burke?" I asked her.

"I like him. He's good to talk to and he's pushing me. Sometimes I don't like it but I usually can recognize that he's right," she said.

"Can you share with me how he's pushing you?"I asked gently.

She bit the inside of her cheek, than finally let out a sigh. "He gives me homework," she said with a shy smile.

"Homework? Like what? What did he give you tonight?" I asked.

"I have to continue Bobby's stupid set ups, I have to take a compliment without saying anything negative after, I have to keep track of how many times I say 'I'm fine' and then figure out how many times I actually meant it…and I had to call you," she said looking down.

"Me? Does Burke know about us?" I asked her. If Burke knows this is a good sign.

"Yeah. He's the only one I've told. I'm sorry. Have you told anyone?" she asked me.

I told Hector so I could have him sabotage her dates. I wasn't prepared to admit that one. "No, I haven't told anyone. I'm fine with Burke knowing," I told her. _Now, I'm the liar. _"I like some of your homework," I said with a smile.

"Oh yeah, which assignments?" she asked.

I moved closer to her and touched her face. "I like that you have to pay attention to how many times you say 'I'm fine," I said softly. "I don't want you to say that to me anymore. Even if you mean it, I want you to give me more details on how you're feeling. Good or bad," I said as I moved some of her golden hair out of her face. "I also like the compliment one. You don't seem to know how beautiful you are and I think you look incredibly sexy right now," I said as I began kissing and nuzzling her neck.

She tilted her head, giving me better access. She sighed and I was pleased when she didn't give me any snarky response to my compliment. "My favorite homework, was the one that included me," I said as I brought my lips to hers. She moaned as I gently pushed her back and crawled on top of her body, supporting myself with my arms.

"What about my dates?" she asked as I went back to kissing her neck.

"The only man who should be taking you out is me," I growled.

"That's not going to happen," she said softly.

"Well I'm going to do everything I can to change your mind and I'll warn you right now, I'm very persuasive," I said as I began undoing her pant and began pulling them off.

Her facial expression changed slightly. "Keira, if you want me to stop, all you ever have to do is say so," I said seriously.

"That's part of the problem Les," she said. "I never want you to stop," she said kicking off her jeans and capturing my mouth with hers.

Twenty-minutes later we were lying naked on the couch. Keira was wrapped in my arms and I was playing with her hair. I always loved the way it smelled.

"Did you ever ask, 'Why me'?" I asked her quietly.

"No, that's one thing I didn't do. I always understood that sometimes shit just happens. And sometimes it happens to good people who don't deserve it. At first, I honestly felt relieved. I was sick off and on for about two years before we figured out what was going on. I thought I was just crazy. I couldn't eat anything without being in pain, my stomach was constantly bloated. Like it is when I have a flare, but all the time. I went to doctors and at first they thought it was stress. At that point I was working two jobs and ingesting crazy amounts of caffeine to keep up but no matter what I did, things just kept getting worse," she explained.

"So you've actually been ill for five years?" I said incredulously.

"Yeah, I guess I have," she said.

"How did they finally figure it out?" I asked.

"I started vomiting around 2am one night. I felt like I was being stabbed. I couldn't stop throwing up, even though I had nothing left in me. Around noon the pain was so bad I could barely stand and I was still dry heaving. I went to the ER and they found an intestinal blockage. I spent about a week in the hospital and that's the first time one of the doctors mentioned Crohn's Disease," she said.

"How did you react?" I asked her.

She laughed. "You have to understand I was on a ridiculous amount of pain meds. I looked at the doctor and told him that's impossible because I had no idea what Crohn's Disease was," she said with a headshake.

I chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Let's talk dinner; what can you eat?" I asked.

"Cooked vegetables, I have to stay away from raw. I can have limited amounts of dairy, if it's low in fat. I can also tolerate some gluten. Fruit, I usually end up juicing and I stay away from fatty meats and fried food. Animal fat is the hardest for me to digest," she said.

"I can work with that," I said earnestly. She rolled her eyes at me.

We showered, dressed and headed to the store. We picked up fish, spinach and broccoli. We made dinner together and ate while chatting about things other than Keira's illness. She seemed to come alive again once we moved away from talking about her and her problems.

She went back to her own apartment after we watched a movie. I got ready for bed and found myself lying awake staring at the ceiling. I wished she was with me. I tossed and turned for a few hours before giving up in frustration. I threw on shorts and walked next door to Keira's apartment. I touched the door handle. It was unlocked.

I smiled as I entered her place and headed back to the bedroom.

"Took you long enough," she said when she rolled over and saw me standing over her.

I climbed into bed and pulled her to my chest. As soon as I felt her body on mine, I immediately relaxed and realized how tired I was. I wasn't the only one. Within a few minutes Keira's breathing evened out and I knew she was sleeping. I feel asleep shortly after, clutching her to my chest.

This was the first night we slept together without having sex and I think it was what both of us really needed.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize.

No beta- mistakes are my own.

For those of you looking for Domestic Bliss, I uploaded Chapter 18 last night, thanks for your patience!

Chapter 16

Lester's POV

We woke up the next morning cuddled in each other's arms. I felt Keira stirring and gradually opened my eyes.

"Good morning," I murmured and kissed her hair.

"Morning," she said shyly.

"What?" I asked her.

"This is a little strange," she said burying her face in my chest to hide from me.

"What is?" I asked running my fingers through her hair.

"You know…sleeping with you, without…sleeping with you," she attempted to explain.

I chuckled. "You're a very strange woman, Keira Morgan," I said to her.

"After all the talking last night then spending the night with you…it just feels so intimate," she explained as she snuggled closer to me. "It's just been awhile since I felt that with someone," she said.

"Is that such a bad thing?" I asked as I kissed her nose.

"I'm not sure yet," she said.

"How are?" I asked her seriously.

"I'm fine," she replied.

"Keira," I said sharply.

She was startled for a second then she realized what she did. "I'm feeling vulnerable and nervous," she admitted.

"You should be nervous," I growled. "You're in a very vulnerable position, looking like that and being in bed with me," I whispered hotly in her ear.

I pulled off Keira's shirt and a wicked grin appeared across Keira's face. I grabbed both of her small wrists and one of my hands and pinned them above her head. Her eyes darkened as I began assaulting her body with my mouth while she moaned.

Our underwear was gone within mintutes. I was thrusting with her leg wrapped around my waist. We were both moaning and I could tell we were both close by the panting and the way Keira's fingernails were beginning to dig into my back.

"What the fuck!" came a voice. _Oh shit!_

I immediately shielded Keira's body with my own and grabbed the sheet to cover us. I completely forgot that Bobby was planning on coming to Keira's this morning. I began mentally kicking myself for not locking the door.

If doors are unlocked on the fourth floor at RangeMan, it means come in. Her bedroom door was also wide open so all Bobby had to do was walk down the hall and he could see everything.

"Bobby. Just give me a minute," I shouted.

Keira's tiny body was curled up into a ball underneath mine. "Oh my god! He caught us having sex. What are we going to say? I don't want all of RangeMan knowing!" she hissed.

"I will handle this. All of RangeMan will not know, especially if you're not ready. Bobby can keep his mouth shut," I said.

"No he can't! None of you can! This place is worse than a sorority house!" she shrieked.

"Baby, I got this. Please trust me. Please?" I asked as I got up and found my boxers and shorts.

I went into the living room and Bobby immediately grabbed me and slammed me up against the wall. "She is not one of your little sluts that you can just pick up and then throw away," he seethed. "She is one of us, part of this family and right now she needs a friend and you're fucking take advantage of her!" he growled. "I always knew you were an asshole to women but I never thought you would stoop so low as to use Keira. She's sick, you fucking dick! And you're fucking with her head!" he said with disgust.

"I'm not using her! If anything, she's using me," I whispered so Keira wouldn't hear.

Bobby released me but continued to glare at me. "Explain," he demanded.

"I want to be with her! She refuses to even go to dinner with me! We hooked up months ago, before she started working here. It was supposed to be a onetime thing but once wasn't enough. Look man, she doesn't want anyone to know about us hooking up. She just started opening up to me last night, I don't want to scare her off. You gotta keep this quiet," I begged.

Bobby stared at me. "You really have feelings for her?" he asked.

"I've never felt this way before. She's just so untrusting! She doesn't think I can handle her issues, but I can!" I said earnestly.

"You don't know that," Bobby warned. "I've read her file and she's given me permission to speak to her doctors. She is very sick, Lester. Just because she doesn't look like it, doesn't mean she's well," Bobby tried to explain.

"I just need her to give me a chance! I can be there for her," I said desperately.

Bobby let out a sigh. "I can tell you mean what you're saying. But, I gotta be honest with you, you don't understand how hard this is going to be," Bobby said carefully.

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration_. Why the fuck does everyone seem to assume that I can't handle this? How do they know what I can and can't handle? I've been to war for fuck sakes!_

I heard the shower running and knew Keira was cleaning up.

"I've never felt his way before. Bobby, please just try to back me up on this," I said.

"What about Stephanie?" he asked me. I froze. _Stephanie. I haven't thought about Stephanie in weeks. Am I actually getting over her? _I thought about her aqua eyes and my heart beat a little faster. I then thought about Keira's eyes staring back at me and holding her in my arms and my chest tightened with want.

"I will always love Stephanie but it's time I realized we never belonged together. I found someone that I really connect with and I'm not willing to let her go," I said.

Keira emerged from the bathroom and looked shyly at Bobby. "I don't actually know what to say," she said wincing.

"I'm sorry. Your door was unlocked, I thought I was just going to wake you up and see if you wanted to grab breakfast then go to the 10am spin class," he said.

"I'd like that," she said shyly.

"Wanna join us?" Bobby asked me.

I did. But I thought it would be good for Keira to spend time with some of the other guys. She hasn't seen anyone but me since we confronted her.

"I can't, I've got some stuff to do," I explained.

"Get your gym clothes on, Cal and Hector are waiting on us," Bobby said to Keira.

Keira nodded and headed back to her bedroom. I followed. Once we were alone, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her hair. "Bobby's not going to say anything. Just know that if you wanted people to know that we're together I wouldn't have a problem with it. I'm ready whenever you are," I said.

She stiffened. "Les, we're not together. I have feelings for you, but that's just not enough right now," she said.

I sighed. Part of me wanted to grab her shoulders and shake the ever loving shit out of her, but I wasn't going to push her…not yet anyways.

I kissed her forehead and told her to have a nice day and went back to my place and threw on some gym clothes. I really needed to fucking hit something.

The guys all rallied around Keira and treated her as they normally would and she gradually began to start hanging out with everyone. She even began dancing around her office again. I smiled at my laptop as I watched her. Cal even came in and they had their own little dance party for twenty minutes while she put packets together. I was just happy to see her smile. She's so damn resilient.

Then it happened.

Keira's door had been locked for a few nights. This was nothing out of the ordinary; she went through stages so I didn't think much of it. I woke up at 0500 to head to the gym and I checked my phone before going and I saw an email from Keira. It was to all the partners saying she would not be coming to the office today. It was sent around 0300.

I immediately went to find Bobby and Tank. We went to Keira's apartment and the door was locked.

"She could be sleeping," Tank said.

"I'd rather have her bitch me out, than spend the next few hours worrying that something's going on," I said.

Bobby nodded and took out a tool to pick the lock. We entered her dark apartment. Lights were coming from the bedroom and the bathroom. The bathroom door was open and Keira was sprawled across the floor in sweatpants and a bra. Her hair was wet from the shower. She was clutching her right side writhing on the floor next to the toilet. Her face was contorted in pain.

"Keira!" I called as I collapsed next to her. She shoved me away weakly and grabbed the toilet and hauled herself up to dry heave. She was panting and shaking.

"Get my clothes! I'm already packed," she ordered between pants. That woke us from our stupor. Tank turned and left returning with a bag. Keira pulled herself up and grabbed her toothbrush. We all watched in shock as she brushed her teeth then placed it in a case and tossed it into the bag. She reached underneath the sink and grabbed a little package of travel size toiletries and gave them to Tank to pack.

She let out a small noise as she grabbed her right side again and continued to pant. I felt like a deer and headlights, I didn't have a fucking clue what to do. Her face contorted again, I felt like a knife was being run through my heart. I felt so useless.

"I need a t-shirt," she said as she tried to catch her breath. I don't think any of us realized she was standing in her bra. I ran into her bedroom and grabbed a t-shirt and zip up. I returned and she pulled her damp hair up and then threw on the clothes I handed her. She was panting and wasn't able to stand up straight.

She practically fell against the sink and dry heaved for a few moments groaning in pain. "I need something to throw up in. I have plastic bags underneath the sink in the kitchen," she directed between pants.

Tank went and got one. "I don't think I'm going to be in much this week," Keira tried to joke before clutching her side again and crying out.

"Get her to the hospital, I will handle everything here," Tank ordered.

Bobby nodded and grabbed her bag and I grabbed her. She could barely walk so I scooped her up while she clutched the plastic bag. Her body jerked and she continued to dry heave into the bag as I carried her to the garage.

Bobby jumped into the driver seat and I climbed into the back with Keira. She was shaking with the effort of trying not to cry out in pain.

I've never seen anything like this before. I've seen people shot, stabbed, maimed and blown-up but I've never seen anyone in this kind of pain from something I couldn't see. Her own body was doing this to her.

I thought about how scared I was when Davidson held that knife to her throat. That was nothing compared to how scared I was now. I had control over that situation; this was completely out of my control. I couldn't handle seeing her in pain. I just grabbed her hand and stared down at her panicking while Bobby was speaking to her calmly from the front seat, reassuring her.

What really terrified me was the thought that hit me over the head like a baseball bat. _I really wasn't prepared for how ugly this could get, I don't know if I can handle this. _


	17. Chapter 17

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize

No beta- mistakes are mine and mine alone. Apologies in advance.

Chapter 17

Lester's POV

We got to the ER and I don't think I've ever been more grateful to have Bobby by my side. He was in full on medic mode. I carried Keira into the ER despite her protests. Bobby knew a lot of the nurses thanks to RangeMan's frequent visits to the hospital (*cough* Stephanie *cough*) and was able to get Keira in a bed quickly. I was sitting in the chair next to her as Bobby was standing over us with his arms folded waiting for the doctor.

After what felt like forever, but was probably about twenty minutes, the curtain was pulled back and the doctor came in.

"Ms. Morgan?" he said.

Keira nodded.

"What seems to be the trouble?" he asked.

"I have Crohn's Disease and I'm pretty sure I have a blockage. I've been vomiting since midnight and I feel like I'm being stabbed," she said.

"We'll get you pain meds. I'll order morphine," he said.

"Not funny!" she growled.

I looked at the doctor in confusion.

He smiled. "I looked at Ms. Morgan's chart, she is a frequent customer. Morphine won't touch what she's feeling. What do they usually give you? Dilaudid or fentanyl?" he asked Keira.

"Used to be dilaudid but it hasn't been working the last few times. They just started using fentanyl and that's been better," she explained between pants.

Bobby's eyes widened but he didn't say anthing.

The doctor nodded then left. Keira continued to dry heave and clutch her side. All I could do was hold her hand. The nurse came in and finally gave Keira her pain meds and an anti-nausea medicine.

"You know the drill, once you stop vomiting. I'll bring you the barium liquid to drink and then we can get you scanned and see what's going on. I'll be back to check on you. Try to rest for now," the nurse advised.

The tension in Keira's body began receding and her death grip on my hand relaxed. "Better?" I asked her softly.

"Much…I love fentanyl," she said as she gave me a small smile.

I looked at Bobby quizzically. "Fentanyl is about 100 times stronger than morphine, she was in some serious pain," he explained.

_Jesus Christ._

"Yep," Keira said from the bed.

I gently stroked her hair as she began to doze lightly. The nurse returned an hour later. "Did you stop vomiting?" she asked. Keira nodded in response and then was promptly brought a reddish colored liquid with lots of ice. "I put a little cranberry juice in it for you. It helps most people get it down," the nurse said kindly.

"Thank you," Keira said as she slowly began sipping the liquid through the straw. The nurse left us again and Keira turned to look at me and Bobby. "You guys don't have to be here. I'm sure you have stuff to do, I can handle it from here," she said.

Bobby looked horrified. "I'm the RangeMan medic, I don't leave until we have a diagnosis and treatment plan," he said firmly.

She glanced at me. "You're out of your damn mind, if you think I'm leaving," I growled.

She nodded weakly. She looked exhausted and drained. Guess that what happens when you can't stop vomiting for six hours. "Why don't you at least get coffee? I have to get this stuff down then wait two hours while it goes through my system," she suggested.

Bobby and I locked eyes for a moment and then he nodded indicating that he would go. Once he left Keira turned to me. "Are you alright?" she asked me.

I snorted. "How can you really be asking me that right now?" I said softly as I stroked her hair.

"I saw your face. I know it can be really scary the first time you see it," she said as she squeezed me hand. She looked sad…maybe even guilty. Guilty that she scared me?

I felt ashamed. She was the one in pain and suffering, yet she was comforting me. I was a giant pussy. "I'm fine, Gorgeous. Of course I was scared, I was worried about you and I hate seeing you in pain but I want to be here for you. I don't want you going through this alone," I explained.

"I've been through this alone before, I'm really okay alone. If you want to go, I'm okay. I promise," she said.

"Keira, I don't know how many ways I can say it. I'm not going anywhere, you're just going to have to deal with that," I said.

Keira actually smiled. Even though she would never admit it, I think she's glad that I'm here.

Keira managed to drink liquid and hold it down. The nurses were wonderful and were very on top of her pain meds. Once she was taken to be scanned Bobby and I were left alone.

"You really have feelings for her," he said, it wasn't a question.

"Yeah. It's only been a few months and I can't get her outta my head. We hooked up and she made it clear it was a onetime thing but then we kept running into each other and we couldn't help ourselves. I started falling for her but she kept pushing me away. I tried getting over her, going out, hooking up, but it just wasn't the same. Every woman I was with, I was just wishing it was her," I explained.

"How are you with all this? Honestly?" he asked me.

I thought about just saying I was fine, but this was Bobby. "Freaked the fuck out," I admitted.

He gave me a smile. "But you're still here. I know she won't say it, but I think she's impressed that you're still here," he said to me. "I think she's used to going through this stuff alone," Bobby added.

"I can't even imagine her having to do this by herself. It makes me sick," I said.

"She has us now," Bobby pointed out.

"Tell me I just saw the worst that can happen," I begged.

Bobby expression changed. He looked sad. "Not even close," he said honestly.

Bobby and I sat in silence until the doctor came out. "Well, she has a blockage. We've admitted her," the doctor said.

"Treatment?" Bobby asked.

"Prednisone, unfortunately. She's been on a lot of it so we're going to try a faster taper. I'm concerned about how often she's been on this medication. She should probably start seeing an endocrinologist," the doctor explained.

Bobby was nodding while I stood there panicking. I don't have a fucking clue what is going on and it's freaking me out. Once the doctor left, I immediately looked to Bobby for answers. "You gotta break this down for me, I don't have a clue what's going on," I said desperately.

"Prednisone is a powerful steroid which will help Keira with the flare and the blockage. It's a harsh medication and can't just be stopped; you need to taper off of it. It causes lots of side effects, some are more long term. It can cause osteoporosis, especially in women. Keira has been on this medication a lot in the past few years, so the doctor just wants to make sure she's alright so he wants her to see an endocrinologist," Bobby explained.

I ran my hand over my face. _Jesus Christ._ I felt so overwhelmed. _This is just so much shit to wade through. _I wondered again if I could handle this. Bobby, realizing my turmoil, clapped me on the back. "One thing at a time man, one thing at a time. We need to concentrate on the flare and blockage right now. We'll deal with the endocrinologist once she's out of the hospital. Let's go see our girl," he said.

We found Keira in a private room. She looked small and pale in the hospital bed. "I think it's safe for you guys to go now," she said. "I'm really tired now, the nurse just gave me more fentanyl," she explained.

Bobby walked over and kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep Tiny Dancer, I'll be back to check on you tomorrow and talk to the doctor.

I shot Bobby a look indicating I was staying. I was freaked out and needed to be with her to make sure she was okay. Bobby left the room and Keira and I were finally alone. "You don't have to stay Les. I'm really okay in the hospital. I'm used to it, I'm probably going to spend most of the time sleeping," she explained.

"Keira, I need to stay," I whispered softly.

She looked at my face and through her drug addled haze she made a decision. She scooted over in the bed. "Come on, I don't take up much room," she said.

"I don't want to hurt you," I said as I touched her hair.

"You won't," she said as she reached for my arm and weakly pulled me to the bed. I climbed in and lay on my back with my arm around Keira. She snuggled to my chest. "Don't be mad if I drool on you, it's not my fault. Blame the drugs," she muttered.

I chuckled. Keira was asleep almost instantly and I gradually relaxed.

Somehow, despite everything she was going through, she ended up comforting me. Life was just so damn unfair.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- mistakes are all mine.

Chapter 18

Lester's POV

Keira was in the hospital for a week. She wasn't allowed to eat anything for the first five days. She said she didn't mind because her stomach hurt enough that it killed her appetite. I visited every day. The only reason I left was because Keira was convinced that the other guys would get suspicious (I wanted them suspicious, maybe they'd start to consider her my woman without me having to say anything). I especially hated leaving her at night. But Keira, being the evil woman that she is, pulled out the ultimate trump card. I was demanding to spend the night when Keira pulled out her cell phone and told me she was going to call…Ella.

Ella is not only my Aunt, but RangeMan's mother. She has these little index cards that she keeps on each guy. It includes his real name, birthday, allergies, favorite foods and the name, phone number and email of each guy's mother. I thought it was an urban legend till I saw them myself. Ella has also proven time and time again that she's not scared to contact our mothers. Tank's mother died when he was eighteen, but you better believe Ella has Tank's Nana on speed dial. It's ridiculous.

"You need to actually get some sleep Les. If you don't go home and sleep, I'm calling Ella who will call your mom," she threatened.

"Damn, Beautiful, that's cold!" I groaned.

"Beautiful? That's a new one," she said with an amused grin.

I felt myself start to panic. It shouldn't be a big deal, it just slipped out but I felt strangely guilty. I couldn't figure out if it was because I was using Stephanie's nickname for Keira or because I called Keira Stephanie's nickname.

"You keep track of what I call you?" I asked changing the subject.

"Quierda, Baby, Honey, Gorgeous, Hermosa…I think there was a few more, but I just got my pain meds so I'm not thinking completely clear," she said with a smile.

I liked that she knows what I call her. My pet names mean something to her. I felt warmth spread through me at the thought. "I'll go, Quierda, but you have to do one thing for me," I said.

"Why is everything a negotiation with you?" she asked.

"The same reason it's always a negotiation with you," I said. "I want you to call me if you're released and I'm not here. I want to be the one to take you home," I explained.

Keira sighed. "You don't have to do all this," she said.

"I know, but I want to. Please?" I asked her as I kissed her hand.

"Sometimes, I wish I was strong enough to say no to you," she said.

"Most women can't," I said with a grin as I dropped a kiss on her head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Baby. Get some sleep," I said as grabbed my jacked to head home.

_I love when I get my way. _

It was day five of Keira's hospital stay and I was sitting on her bed with her feet in my lap. I borrowed some bright red nail polish from Ella and was currently painting Keira's toe nails. I would NEVER admit this to the guys but I kind of enjoyed doing it and Keira was blown away when I told her I wanted to do it for her. _She's so into me._

Keira and I were working on a cross word puzzle while I worked on her toes.

"Well, I see you've finally taken my advice," came a male voice.

"Warren!" Keira called out. Warren was standing in the doorway in an expensive suit holding flowers and a gift.

"That hospital gown makes you look fat," he said as he came into the room

"At least I can take it off, there's nothing you can do about being old," Keira retorted.

"I'm a man, Darling and I'm wealthy, my age doesn't matter," Warren said as he kissed her cheek. "You young man, I take it you're Keira's lover?" he asked.

"Warren!" Keira hissed.

"Oh I'm sorry. Keira explained this to me before. You're not her lover, you're her…_fuck buddy_," he corrected.

"You're fucking killing me Warren. Killing me," Keira sighed.

"Lester Santos," I said holding out my hand to Warren. I couldn't help but like him, maybe because he doesn't allow Keira to get away with anything but he clearly cares for her.

"Warren Anderson, Keira used to work for me," he said as he gave me a firm handshake. "And just between you and me, she better be sleeping with you if you're willing to do that," he said gesturing to Keira's toes.

I grinned.

Keira groaned.

"Well, I hope this little episode made you rethink what the doctor has been telling you," Warren said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Surgery. They want to remove part of my intestines and part of my colon," she explained. "I think I'm going to give the remicade a little more time, I haven't been on it very long," she said to Warren.

Warren shot her a look but remained silent. My mind started reeling_. They're talking about removing part of her organs? What the hell? _I needed to talk to Bobby.

"Open your gift, although I don't think you'll need it now," he said.

Keira raised her eyebrows as she tore into the package. "Christ, '50 Shades of Gray'," she said holding up the book. "Thanks for the porn, Warren. You're lucky I don't work for you anymore or you'd be back in sensitivity training," she said.

Warren chuckled. "Make sure you see the card," he said.

Keira opened the card, "Ahh, tickets for a Segway tour. You always were an ass," she laughed.

"Segway?" I asked in confusion.

"Have you not been exposed to Keira's rants? This woman has an opinion on _everything_. Not to mention an irrational hatred of some very random things," Warren explained.

I glanced at Keira who shrugged. "Some things just bother me. Segways, men who wear jean shorts, any type of meat product in a can, people who say 'good times', dirty finger nails, people who use cute names for genitalia because they can't bring themselves to say penis or vagina," she started to explain.

"She also hates hipsters who look like the smell funny, candles that are scented like pine trees, and menu's that claim they have birthday cake flavored anything," Warren continued. "Just to name a few," he said smiling at Keira.

I was biting my lip to keep from laughing. I didn't realize just how ridiculous she was. "Birthday cake flavored?" I asked her.

"Like at an ice cream shop they say something about having birthday cake ice cream, what makes it different then regular cake ice cream? Does it come with a candle? Is it my birthday? It just makes no sense!" Keira pointed out.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Is there anything you do like?" I asked.

Keira thought about that for a moment. "Lip gloss, the smell of cologne, penguins, farmer's markets, candles that smell like clean linen, and painted toe nails," she said as she wiggled her now bright red toes at me.

I smiled at her.

Warren was studying the interaction between Keira and myself carefully. "Well, my dear, it seems you may have found someone worthy of you and your spirit," Warren said studying me carefully. "It's a shame, I was really hoping you would marry my son and give me some grandchildren with actual common sense and a sense of humor," he laughed.

"Which son?" Keira asked.

"Doesn't matter to me, as long as I got a grandchild out of it," he said as he stood up and kissed her forehead. "I'll be back in town next month. I expect you to be free for dinner," he said to Keira. "You too," Warren said glancing up at me.

I gave him a nod. Warren left the hospital room and Keira turned back to me. "He likes you," she said with some surprise.

"Is that so hard to believe?" I asked her.

"Kinda. He doesn't really like anyone. Including his wife and even his kids most of the time," she said.

I liked Warren too. I was glad he approved of Keira and my relationship. It felt like I just earned her father's approval. It did start to make me curious about Keira's actual parents. She never speaks about them and she didn't contact them when she went into the hospital. I had a feeling there was a story behind all this, but I didn't want to push her.

Keira was released a few days later. It was early on Saturday morning when I finally brought her back to RangeMan. Somehow all the guys had heard she was coming back and were waiting in her apartment to greet us.

The usual suspects looked like they just got back from a night out. Vince rushed towards Kiera and threw his arms around her. "Polly Pocket! We've missed you!" he said.

"Oh god!" she moaned shoving him off. "You smell like stale tequila, skank and shame," she said.

Vince just grinned. "A few of us just got in," he explained.

"Well, by all appearances you guys had a successful night out," she said surveying the group.

"Looking a little lean Morgan, how much weight did you drop in the hospital?" asked Bobby.

"About ten pounds, I still can't eat much yet," she explained.

"I bought you Ensure and stuck it in your fridge," Bobby said.

She slowly walked over to Bobby and he took her in his arms. "Thank you," she whispered.

Bobby kissed her hair. "Anytime, you should be in bed," he said. "Alright guys, say goodbye to Keira, GENTLY, and then get outta here. Our girl needs to rest," he ordered.

All the guys gently hugged and kissed Keira who looked exhausted but relieved to be back. The guys all left and Keira changed into some pjs while I got her water. She climbed in bed and let out a contented sigh.

I kissed her forehead and told her to get some rest. I stood up to go and felt her small hand grab onto my arm. "Can you stay?" she asked shyly.

I was off today, of course I could stay. I just was waiting for her to ask me, I didn't want to push myself on her when she was so weak and vulnerable.

I didn't answer. I just toed off my shoes and undressed. I slid into bed next to her and she curled her body up against mine. I put my arms around her as she cuddled to my chest. She fell asleep quickly and I was finally able to say what I've been feeling. I know she wasn't ready to hear it but it needed to be said, even if she slept through it. I gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Te amo."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize

No beta-mistakes are mine.

Chapter 19

Lester's POV

Keira returned to work Monday. We all thought she should take more time, but she refused. I talked to Bobby about Keira's medication. Apparently, prednisone can affect a person's appearance as well as their personality and Bobby thought I needed to be aware of it.

Bobby said he talked to Keira about how she usually reacts to prednisone and she told him that she usually gains weight, her face gets rounder, she has trouble sleeping and her temper worsens. Keira also tried to explain that she gets manic. She gets these insane bursts of energy and has to do something. Junior, who does some overnight monitor shifts, told us that she's been heading down the gym around 0200 to go running. I was concerned, but Bobby told me that all her side effects were normal and would lessen as her dosage continued to drop. She should be off prednisone completely in a month's time.

I finally asked Bobby about the surgery Keira mentioned and if he thought it would be a realistic possibility.

Bobby nodded. "What you gotta understand, is it's just a matter of time. It's not if she's going to have surgery, it's when. With the amount of scar tissue she has, she'll continue to be hospitalized until it's removed," he explained.

"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" I asked. If this was the only way to keep her healthy, I was confused on why she was dragging her feet.

"This is part of the problem with her disease. You go in remove the section that's damaged and then reattach the intestines; this is called the anastomosis site. The issue is, at this site scar tissue can form which starts this process all over again and can lead to further bowel resections down the road. It's one of the reasons Crohn's patients try to hold off on surgery as long as possible," he explained.

I sighed. "So this is never going to end?"I asked. I felt defeated. My heart hurt for Keira and all the pain and suffering she was going to continuously face. I wanted to protect her from all this, but I was completely useless.

"It will never end, but it can get better. Much better. Are you planning on sticking it out?" he asked me.

"I'll be there for her as long as she lets me. I think I love her," I confessed.

"What! Are you serious? Does she know? Are you two together now?" Bobby asked. I guess my best friend was a little shocked that I could love someone. He knew I had feelings for Steph but I never used the "L word" before.

"No, I haven't told her and she won't even let me take her on an actual date. She's fucking ridiculous, its so god damn infuriating! She'll sleep with me, spend time with me and she even let me be there for her in the hospital but I can't be her boyfriend. I'm beginning to think she's fucking insane," I said running my hand through my hair in frustration.

"She's just going through a lot. She probably doesn't think she can handle anything else right now. Maybe you need to point out that you're already in a relationship. It's obvious she has feelings for you," he said.

That got my attention. "It is?" I asked. _FUCK! When did I get so insecure?_

Bobby chuckled at my question. "Yeah man. She reaches for you when she's scared or sick. You don't seem to realize that she doesn't let the rest of us anywhere near her. You're the only one she lets hold her and comfort her," he pointed out.

I didn't realize that. I thought about Keira's relationship with the other guys. She was always friendly and occasionally flirty but when she was in the hospital no one received more than a cheek kiss. All the guys stopped by and they sat in the chair next to her bed chatted for a bit, watched some television, maybe helped with sudoku puzzle. I, on the other hand, was constantly in her bed, I helped brush her hair, she was always cuddled up to me and let me stay when the doctors were in the room.

"I just have to get her to admit that we have a relationship," I sighed.

"She's is some serious denial. She's actually going on another date tomorrow night. Burke thought it was a good idea so he pushed her to go and she finally agreed," Bobby said.

"Who the hell is she going out with?" I growled.

Bobby shrugged. "I think Burke convinced her to give the online dating thing one more chance. Hector checked him out; he said he seemed like a pretty normal guy," Bobby said.

_I need to talk to Hector. _"Thanks for the heads up man," I said as I left Bobby's office in search of Hector.

Hector was in his cubicle with computer parts spread across his desk, the guy was a technological genus. I have no idea how this twenty-four year old former gang banger learned all this shit but he picked it up somewhere and continues to amaze us with his knowledge and skill.

"Yo!" I greeted him.

"What's up man?" he asked me in Spanish.

"Tell me you're not setting Keira with a fucking Don Draper," I asked.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Forget it. Should I be worried about this date tomorrow?" I asked.

Hector grinned. "I can guarantee she won't make it an hour," he said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Guy has a girlfriend. He's looking for a woman that's willing to join them," he said as leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile.

I let out a bark of laughter. _Keira's going to lose her mind._ "How the hell do you find these guys?" I asked.

"I may have changed her profile slightly. Bobby created it and I added certain terms like 'adventurous'  
and 'experienced' then it was just picking through the perverts to make sure she doesn't end up with someone dangerous," he explained.

"She will kill you if she finds out," I warned.

"No she won't. She loves me. Also, all I have to do is say 'Keira, Bonita! I didn't know! English is not my first language!'" he said as looked at me with big eyes.

"Christ. You're really good at that, she'd totally buy it," I said with a head shake.

Hector just grinned. "So, you gonna make a move?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've decided I'm done with asking. I'm going to tell her," I said firmly.

"About time," Hector said as he turned back to his desk.

_Yeah, I've played the nice guy for too damn long. I'm done negotiating with Keira. It's time to lay down the law…and hope that she's cool with it. _

I stopped by Keira's the next night before she left for her "date". She was dressed in a dark grey dress which fit her like a glove. She let her blonde hair hang loose in waves and went lighter on the make-up. She was just putting on a pair of really sexy black heels that I began to make plans for when I walked into her bedroom.

"You look stunning," I said as I leaned up against the door frame.

"Thanks, I'm meeting someone for a drink at Spiro's," she said.

"That's place in pretty swanky. Should I be jealous?" I teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Burke is really pushing this; he thinks it's good for me. I'd rather be wearing fuzzy socks while watching 'Pride and Prejudice' for the thousandth time with a good glass of malbec," she sighed.

I pulled her off the bed and into my arms, hugging her to my chest, she immediately snuggled against me. "Go be social and come home soon. I'll be happy to watch 'Pride and Prejudice' with you," I said as I kissed her head.

She sighed and looked up at me for a moment; she seemed to be having trouble leaving me. I suppressed my smile as she grabbed her purse and jacket and walked out the door. She cast me one glance over her shoulder wistfully.

As soon as she left I flew into action. I already had my suit and tie picked out so I was able to change and be out the door within ten minutes.

I made it to Spiro's and entered the bar. I spotted Keira and her date on the other side. I slipped quietly into the corner and ordered a scotch. Keira was facing away from me but I had a good view of her date's face. He was an okay looking guy who was clearly enjoying his extremely attractive date.

Keira's body language was relatively relaxed until her date handed her a photograph. Her back stiffened, her date kept talking, looking like he was encouraging her. She handed him back the picture and grabbed her purse and headed towards the door. That was my cue.

I threw cash down at the bar and headed around the other side of the bar so I would run directly into her. Keira was about to retrieve her coat when I caught up with her.

"Lester! What are you doing here?" she said in shock. Her eyes traveled up and down my suit, she looked upset. "Are you meeting someone?" she asked. _She thinks I'm here on a date with someone else. What is wrong with her?_

"I've made a decision. I'm done. So are you. Enough is enough," I said.

Keira looked at me in confusion. "I don't think you can break up with me, considering we're not together," she said as she folded her arms and stuck out her chin defiantly.

_Jesus, she can be so clueless._

"That's not what I'm doing. That's actually the opposite of what I'm doing," I explained. "We have reservations," I said as I held out my arm to her.

I'm not sure what I expected. Maybe I was waiting for her to laugh, or maybe I thought she would just start yelling at me. But what I didn't expect was her eyes to soften as she looked at me. This was the first moment that I really saw what Bobby was talking about, she never looked at anyone the way she was looking at me right in this moment.

After a second of hesitation, she took my arm. "Don't be nervous, Quierda. I've got you," I whispered.

Keira gave me a insecure smile as she gripped my arm.

I led her to the host who brought us to a quiet table in the back. We sat down and Keira looked up at me. "How did you know that my date would go poorly?" she asked.

_Well, it's now or never. _I took a breath and told her the real story. I told her about recruiting Hector and the changes to her profile. I admitted that it was all my fault. I tried to explain that I couldn't risk losing her and it wasn't the best plan but I hoped she could forgive me.

She folded her arms and her jaw definitely tightened when I mentioned that her profile basically led people to believe she was looking for a sexually adventurous man. "Please tell me you can forgive me?"I asked again.

"Only on one condition: that dating profile is immediately removed from the internet and Hector performs whatever magic he knows to make sure that it never surfaces again!" she hissed.

"Already done, I swear that I made sure Hector took care of it," I pomised. What was the picture your date showed you that made you leave so fast?" I asked.

"A picture of his girlfriend. He wanted to make sure I was into redheads," she said as she tried to suppress her smile.

I snorted.

"You better wipe that smile off your face if you wanna get some tonight," she warned, but she was smiling too.

I ordered a bottle of malbec and Keira and I did something that we've haven't really done before. We talked. Really talked. We talked about our childhoods, I talked about the military and she talked about college. We discussed all those things you're not supposed to over dinner: religion, politics, sex. I didn't realize how much I really just enjoyed being able to talk to her.

At the end of dinner, I made sure she understood what was happening between us. "I meant what I said Keira. I'm done," I explained.

"What do you want Les?" she asked quizzically.

"I'm done dancing around this. I want us to be together. I don't want you going out on dates with other people. I don't want to be trying to pick up women in bars. I want the guys to know. I want to introduce you to my family," I said honestly. "I'm not taking no for an answer," I said firmly.

"Are you sure? Really think on it Les. Please," she begged.

"Keira, if I wasn't sure I wouldn't be here. Just say yes," I said.

Keira paused for a moment; she looked like she was struggling. I reached out and touched her hair. She brought her eyes to mine and she finally said it.

"Yes," she breathed.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N - JE own everything you recognize.

No Beta- mistakes are mine and mine alone. Thank you for all the support for a Lester story!

Chapter 20

Lester's POV

Keira and I went back to RangeMan after to dinner for her to collect some of her things. We were going to spend the weekend at my townhouse. I wanted Keira to myself. She had to be convinced (of course!) because she had a remicade appointment the next day and she tried to explain that she's not a lot of fun on those days. I told her I wanted to go and after a lot of badgering, she finally agreed.

We spent the rest of the night having amazing sex and talking. I've known Keira for almost six months and we've talked more tonight then we have in all the time we've known each other. It was amazing, I've never felt so close to a woman before.

I drove her to the hospital the next morning and sat next to her while she was hooked up to an IV for four hours. She looked really tired by the time we left. I took Keira home and immediately put her back to bed. I went running and went to the store so that I could make her dinner. I wanted to take care of her and to show her that I _liked_ taking care of her. She always seemed so fearful of being seen as a burden.

I decided to make grilled chicken kabobs, lots of cooked vegetables and lean meat for Keira. I heard the shower running and smiled, she'd be coming down soon. I threw the chicken in a marinade and cleaned up. Keira strolled down the stairs in jeans and a tank top.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

She walked directly over to me and cuddled to my chest. I placed my arms around her and kissed her hair. "I'm just a little weak and a little out of it," she explained.

"Is that normal?" I asked.

"Yeah, it takes me a day or two to pull it back together," she said.

I breathed in her scent and ran my hands down her back. She pressed her body closer to mine and I began to react at her closeness.

"Again?" she asked.

"Only if you're up for it," I said. I didn't want to pressure her, but I was definitely up for it.

"You're going to have to do most of the work," she said with a smile.

"Trust me, Baby. I got you," I said as I scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

We spent the rest of the weekend resting and having sex. Keira and I went for a run on Sunday and I did notice that she was a little slower then she normally is. It was hard to wrap my brain around a treatment that exhausted her so much but would actually help her.

It was Monday morning and we were all preparing for the Monday morning meeting with the core team. I was trying to figure out how to tell the guys. Should I just stand up, point at Keira and shout "Mine!"? Somehow, I don't think Keira would go for that.

We got through the meeting and neither Keira nor I mentioned anything. I finally made a decision as we were standing up to leave. I leaned over and kissed her, right on the mouth in front of everyone. When she didn't pull away I deepened it. Just for a few seconds, I didn't want to push my luck and end up being slapped in front of all the guys.

I broke the kiss and looked around. All the guys were staring at us with their mouths hanging open; that is everyone but Bobby and Hector who were both grinning at Keira and me.

"Keira! You know you had the pick of any guy here and you picked Santos?" said Ram as he broke into a grin.

"Seriously, you really thought he was you're best option?" asked Vince.

"Well, Tank was taken," Keira explained.

This caused Tank to let out a bark of laughter and I playfully pouted at my new girlfriend. She kissed me quickly on the lips then gathered up her things to head back to her office.

"How the hell did you pull it off?" Cal asked me.

"She sure as shit didn't make it easy. I've been chasing after that girl for over five months. I guess I just had to wear her down slowly," I explained.

"Happy for you two," Tank said with a nod.

"Thanks man. Do I have to fill out anything in HR?" I asked.

Tank laughed. "I wouldn't know, talk to your woman about that," he said. I grinned. _My woman._

The next two weeks were heaven. I think this is what people call the honeymoon phase. It consisted of lots of sex and impromptu makeout sessions at work, cooking together, watching movies, going out together, even running errands together and spending every night together. I couldn't get enough of her. I found myself calling during the day just to hear her voice when Bobby and I were out in the field. All the guys absolutely hated being around us. I didn't give a fuck. I was happy and so was Keira. She lit up every room she walked into.

Keira was getting water in the breakroom. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I began kissing down her neck and she let out a contented sigh. She put down her water and turned around in my arms so she could kiss my mouth. I just slipped my tongue past her gorgeous lips when I heard someone exclaim, "What the hell!"

Keira and I broke apart and turned around. Stephanie Plum was standing there with her mouth hanging open.

"Stephanie!" I exclaimed.

"Hey Les," she said slowly.

Keira was glancing back and forth between us in confusion. "Shit. I'm sorry. Keira Morgan, this is Stephanie Plum…actually Manoso now. She's Ranger's wife and the only female field agent. Steph, this is Kiera Morgan, RangeMan's new Office Administrator," I said introducing the women.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Manoso. I hope you enjoyed your honeymoon," Keira said as she offered Stephanie her hand.

Steph shook Keira's hand and replied, "It's nice to meet you as well. Please, call me Steph. I didn't realize we hired an Office Administrator but I'm glad we did."

"Is your husband back to work today as well? I have a whole binder for him so he can catch up on new clients, changes to existing ones and the company's statistics and financials," Keira asked.

"He is. He's actually in his office and I know he'd appreciate all that information," Steph said with a nod.

Keira left to go talk to Ranger, but not before I grabbed her and pulled her back for another kiss. Steph just watched in amazement.

I turned and looked into the aqua eyes that once had my heart beating so hard that I thought it would explode. I still felt a love for Stephanie, but it was different now. Keira saved me in a way she didn't even know.

"Les, what the hell was that!" Stephanie whispered harshly. "You can't hook up with the Office Administrator! That's so wrong! How is she going to react when you go out on Saturday to pick up women! Damnit! She seems like a good one too," Steph said as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Relax! I'm not hooking up with Keira…well I'm not_ just_ hooking up with Keira. She's my girlfriend," I explained.

"I'm sorry, did you say girlfriend? You don't do girlfriends! When did all this happen?" Stephanie asked me.

"I met her about six months ago, than I spent the next five months trying to convince her to go out with me. She finally did and I've never been happier," I said with a grin.

Steph's stance relaxed. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, she might be the one," I explained.

"Les, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you," Steph said as she launched herself into my arms. I caught her and gave her a squeeze.

"Thanks, make sure you explain it to Ranger before he hears about it and tries to call me to the mats," I said with a laugh.

I caught up with my cousin after Keira's meeting with him.

"What do you think?" I asked him as I sat down in a chair across from his office.

"I'm impressed. Really impressed. She's sharp, organized and has a hell of a backbone. Tank has been doing nothing but singing her praises. She also isn't scared to confront the men if they fuck up. It looks like she's been a real asset. I just have one concern," he said.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" I asked. Keira has been kicking ass, I wonder if Tank told him she was sick and that's what he was worried about.

"She's an incredibly attractive, single woman living and working with a bunch of single testosterone fueled men. I don't want any drama or complications," he said.

"Well, first off she can handle herself. Trust me I've seen it. Second, she's not single," I explained.

Ranger gave me one of his patented eyebrow raises.

"We're together. She's my woman," I said.

"You shouldn't be dipping your pen in the company ink," he said.

"You should fucking talk!" I exclaimed.

"I love her. I married her. You're not serious, it will cause problems," he said.

"I am serious. I love her," I said firmly.

Ranger looked startled. "You're serious?" he said.

"I am. She's my girlfriend and I've never been happier. I don't cheat and I won't fuck this up. I haven't told her I love her yet, because I don't want to scare her off. But I mean it," I said.

A small smile crept onto Ranger's lips. "I never thought I'd see the day. She seems like a good one man. She's beautiful, smart and I like her attitude. She'll be good for you," Range said.

"Thanks man," I said as I got up to go.

"Santos!" Ranger called. I turned to look at back. "Don't fuck it up. She doesn't seem like the 'forgive and forget' type," he pointed out.

_No doubt. _


	21. Chapter 21

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize

No beta-mistakes are my own

Warning- These are adults in adult relationships, there will be some sex and language.

Chapter 21

Lester's POV

Life was amazing with Keira. We fell easily into an actual relationship. I think it's because we already had a level of comfort with each other, now we were just allowed to be affectionate in public. I loved being able to stop by her office and kiss her whenever I wanted, sometimes we'd do more than just kiss.

I took her to my parents' house and introduced to my family. My mother was thrilled that I was finally settling down. My sisters thought Keira was a good match for me personality wise and my brothers and father all enjoyed flirting with her (and you wonder where I get it from).

I finally asked Keira about her family and she explained that she had two older brothers both in the Chicago area where her parents still live. She said that she had a falling out with her family, they still communicate by email but right now their relationship is strained. I pushed her to elaborate but she shut down pretty quickly. The holidays were coming up and I asked her what she planned to do.

She let out a sharp laugh and said, "I was going to try to work and see if I could collect on holiday pay."

"Absolutely not!" I said in horror.

"Come on! I'd do just about anything for money!" she said.

I raised my eyebrows to give her a minute to rethink her statement.

"Okay, admittedly that came out wrong. Think of me as a non-sexual whore," she suggested.

It was my turn to laugh. "You're not working Thanksgiving and Christmas because you'll be spending it with me. I have to work part of Thanksgiving this year but we'll be having dinner at my parents' house around seven. I know they would love to have you," I said kissing her forehead.

She slipped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my chest. I held her tight. She was becoming much more comfortable relying on me for affection and comfort. I realize that it's hard for her to let her guard down with people. It always amazes me that she trusts me enough to relax around me. I've never really had a woman besides relatives or Stephanie trust me before. I guess I never deserved trust from women before now.

Keira and I spent over a month is some sort of love sick haze when our little honeymoon bubble burst in a violent way.

I was with a team performing a takedown. Our intelligence said that there were only three people in the apartment. There were five. Let's just say it was a good thing I was wearing a vest. It wasn't a good thing that when I got shot, I was at the top of the staircase and was knocked down them by the impact. Falling backwards was the last thing I remembered.

I woke up to the sounds of beeping. Gentle but consistent beeping. I was lying down, there was an antiseptic like smell in the room…_I must be in the hospital_. I turned my head to the right. In the reclining chair was Keira. She was sleeping curled up in a tiny ball, she looked exhausted and I immediately worried that the stress would cause her to flare.

I tried to gently call her name but all I could really do was groan. That's all it took for Keira's eyes to snap open. She sat up quickly and searched my face as she slammed the button on the wall for a nurse.

"Lester, you're okay. You're in the hospital. You were shot during a takedown but it hit your vest. You fell down the stairs and hit your head pretty hard. You had a nasty concussion and were knocked out for a long time. They put you in a medically induced coma to keep you still and comfortable until the swelling in your brain went down. You dislocated your shoulder, cracked your ribs, and sprained your ankle. The doctor said all of this will heal; the swelling in your brain was the biggest concern. The swelling is almost completely gone so they decided to wake you up. Can you understand everything I'm saying?" Keira asked gently as she took my hand.

I nodded. "You don't look good, Baby," I mumbled.

"You just woke up from a medically induced coma. You'd think I would look like a goddess to you. The epitome of love and devotion, who never left your stupid side," she said with a sigh.

"Stupid?" I asked. I could feel myself beginning to smile.

"Yeah. I'm already composing a Memo for RangeMan about how it's important to shoot FTAs not to be shot by them. Apparently no one's ever told you that before," she snapped.

I reached up with my good arm and brushed my fingers across her cheek. "I'm sorry I scared you," I whispered.

"Just don't do it again. I love you but I'll kill you if you get shot again," she said.

_She loves me. _

"I love you too. More than you know," I said.

"I know," she whispered.

This moment was interrupted when the nurse and doctor came in to check me out. Keira immediately got up and made some phone calls.

The doctor basically told me everything Keira did. If I continued getting better, I could be out of the hospital by the end of the week. I would basically be stuck in bed for another two weeks after that for my ribs, shoulder and ankle to heal. Shit. I hate being bed ridden. We're talking three weeks. Then it would probably be another month after that before I can get back in the field. _I'm going to go insane._

Once the doctor left Keira came back in with Bobby and my mother. My mother looked at me and tears filled her eyes. I held out my arm to her and she came over and hugged me whispering in my ear how scared she was and how much she loved me.

"It's good to see you awake man," Bobby said.

"It's good to be awake," I answered.

"Hermosa, will you go grab some coffee for Bobby and Mama?" I asked Keira.

"Of course!" she said. Keira grabbed her bag and walked out of the room.

"How is she? Really?" I asked once she was gone.

"Fucking rock star. Seriously. That girl can handle pressure. I told her what happened to you and she immediately packed a bag and came to the hospital. She's been calm and cool this entire time. She's been living here. Your mom's been bringing her breakfast and Ella's been taking care of dinner and changing out Keira's clothes. I come around noon every day and force her to go running and I check on her. She's been working from here and she's been able to run the office surprisingly well considering she's not there. Binkie even got an email from her bitching him out for late reports. She's still on top of everything," Bobby said.

"She's an Angel, Lester. She loves you so much! Please do not ruin this!" my mama hissed at me.

_Why does everyone assume I'm going to fuck up my relationship with Keira? Here I am, injured, bedridden, and my mother is still scolding me. This is my life. _

"Mama, Keira and I love each other very much and I'm not going to lose her. I would do anything for her," I reassured my mother.

"Good to know," Keira chimed in as she came back in the room. She handed Bobby and Mama their coffees. My mother grabbed Keira and hugged her close. It was nice to see two of the most important women in my life getting along so well.

"We're going to get going. We'll be back tomorrow," Bobby said.

He grabbed Keira into a hug and kissed her cheek. "Thanks for calling Sweetheart, same deal tomorrow. You still need to run," he said firmly before leaving.

Keira poured me a glass of water than got the nurse to give me a sponge bath. I kinda wanted her to do it, but I settled for the fifty year old nurse who tossed me around with cold indifference.

Once I was clean and given a lovely shot of pain killers Keira settled back down in the chair.

"Bobby said you've been a rock star. I'm really proud of you," I said.

Keira shrugged. "I'm good under pressure. Once I knew you were going to be alright, it was just about logistics. I can't handle you not being alright, but I can handle logistics. Everyone's been by to see you. Ella, Bobby and your mother come every day. Either Tank or Ranger usually come by daily and the guys are always in and out of here," she said.

"I think they come to check on you just as much as they check on me," I answered.

"I'm fine Les. Bobby has been making sure I'm well taken care of. I exercise every day, my nutrition is on point, and I'm on top of my meds. I can handle this," she said.

I shifted slightly in the bed making a space by my good arm. "Please?" I asked looking towards the bed.

Keira climbed in next to me and rested her head on my good shoulder. She curled her tiny body up to mine and I was finally able to relax.

Keira barely left my side the rest of the week in the hospital, the only time she left was when Bobby would kick her out and demand she go running. She'd change in the bathroom, run a few miles outside, come back to shower and then she would resume her perch next to my bed. My room had plenty of visitors, Stephanie, the core team, my family and even some of the other guys. It was a rotating door for awhile.

By the time I was released, I was ready for a little quiet. Between the visitors, nurses and doctors I wasn't sleeping very well. Keira left me for a few hours to handle some things at the townhouse. When she finally got me home, I realized that she moved some of her stuff in and had set up herself in my office.

"What's all this?" I asked her.

"I'm going to be living and working here until your back to the office," she said firmly.

_So I this isn't even up for discussion? _I was THRILLED that Keira wanted to live with me. I just didn't want her to feel trapped here and obligated to take care of me. I would be fine if she went to work for a few hours.

"You don't have to do all this," I said.

"I know, I want too," she said giving me a grin.

Keira immediately began taking care of me. She ran a bath and helped me wash my hair considering I still couldn't really move my shoulder. She helped me change into shorts and got me back in bed. I took a pain pill and passed out immediately. She brought up dinner on a tray and sat and ate with me.

After dinner it was another pain pill and another nap. I woke up and Keira helped get me up so I could wash up for bed. She finished in the bathroom and came out wearing her little black robe. My body starting reacting to her and I groaned.

Keira looked at me with a started expression. "Are you alright? Did you need another pain pill?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Nothing like that Quierda, you just look good right now and I'm not in a position to do anything about it," I explained.

"Maybe you're not but I am," she said as she slowly dropped her robe. She was wearing nothing but a bra and panties underneath. My breath caught in my chest.

I was propped up on some pillow in bed and Keira began seductively crawling across the bed. She carefully straddled my lap. I brought my one good hand to rest on her hip.

"If you move, or do anything that might even twinge your ribs or shoulder, I'll stop," she warned.

"I promise," I responded desperately.

Keira began kissing my neck and then slowly began making her way down my chest. I felt like I was on fire. It was also really hard to restrain myself from moving. I instinctually wanted to grab her and pin her to the bed to have my wicked way with her. But, she was going to be in control for awhile and if I wanted her to keep going, I had to accept that. And I really really wanted her to keep going.

Keira was now kissing my hips and was getting closer and closer. When she finally went down on me a moan escaped my throat. I was desperate for release and her mouth felt so good that I didn't last long.

Keira went to the bathroom to clean up while I lay my head back in relief. I needed that orgasm, but I felt bad that I couldn't do anything for her.

She came out of the bathroom and climbed into bed with me. "I want to do something for you. I feel shitty that I can't," I said as I touched her hair.

"Maybe you can," she said.

"What? Anything," I said.

She gently lay across my lap and I watched as her hand ran down her belly and to her panties. "Maybe you could watch me," she said as a wicked grin appeared on her lips.

_Oh hell yes!_


	22. Chapter 22

A/N- JE owns everything you recognize.

No beta- mistakes are mine and I apologize for them.

Warning: These are adults in adult relationships. Expect sex and language.

Chapter 22

Lester's POV

Keira and I fell into a routine. Or should I say Keira has kept me on a schedule. The alarm would go off and she would head down stairs and make us coffee and breakfast. Keira would then get me to the bathroom to clean up. Bobby would stop by around ten and Keira would head out to go to the gym and run errands for a few hours. She would come home for lunch and we would usually have cooked vegetables, lean meat and some sort of starch. Never any white pasta or bread.

Now that my ankle is better, Keira takes me for a walk around the neighborhood every day after lunch. I'm always worn out by the time we get back. At this time, I'd pop a pain pill (not before Keira forced me to have a snack…always fruit) and then go up stairs to pass out for a few hours. This is when Keira does the majority of her work. Dinner is always lean meat and more vegetables. This woman is not fucking around.

Bobby gave her some nutritional and caloric guidelines for my recovery and she has been a goddamn Nazi about it (that was insensitive…to the Nazis). Steph brought me over a meatball sub from Pino's and Keira thanked her kindly and then it met the trash can as soon as Steph left. I wanted to cry. Instead, I had grilled chicken with steamed broccoli and carrots. She explained that the sub barely had any nutritional value and was almost my entire caloric intake for the day. I pointed out that it had melted cheese, but trying to elicit sympathy for my diet from a Crohn's patient wasn't working. Keira could not be swayed.

Bobby was thrilled.

I was a little cranky.

Keira, being a fucking genus or maybe just understanding that I'm a dude, began rewarding me for good behavior in other ways. We started experimenting considering our sex life was prohibited in some pretty major ways. She surprised the hell out of me and began to get creative.

She started out with silk scarves. She would tie me up and blind fold me. This worked out well considering I wasn't allowed to move too much. She would do all the work and it was sexy as hell. Then she started working in toys and costumes. My favorite was the nurse's uniform. Keira bought a collection of vibrators which she would use so I could watch. I loved watching her but I missed being able to be the dominate one. Keira would go down on me, use her hand, and we'd even have gentle sex with her on top but I could never just throw her down and be in control. I was hard for me to restrain myself sometimes.

Keira picked up on this and decided to stop at the sex shop and buy some other fun things. She bought a little switch and brought over the vibrator that the creeper left her. Yeah, the one with the remote. She'd let me have the remote and direct her on where to place the vibrator. She even let me spank her with the switch. I loved doing that while she was wearing the cop outfit. It gave me the sense of dominance I've been craving and it didn't put any strain on my body.

All in all, I'd say this experience has not only enhanced our sex life but has given us the ability to adjust to each other's needs. I'll never be able to express how grateful I was to Keira for making sure that she didn't let our sex life be put on hold during this time. We were just starting as a couple; I wasn't prepared to lose our connection after I lost my mobility and ability to be in the field. Keira has been able to sense how much I needed this and made sure to take care of me. She really is the love of my life.

I was starting to be able to move around more. I still get tired but every day my energy level was increasing. Bobby said that he was pleased with my progress and Keira pushed me a little more every day. She also made sure I had some form of company besides her and Bobby every day. My family was over for dinner quite a bit. My mom and sisters would help Keira with dinner and then we'd all sit down together. It was nice to have that sort of familial normalcy and Keira fit in so well, it was like she was always part of us. Even my nieces and nephews would climb all over her. Some of them started calling her Tia Keira.

It's been difficult for me to be out of commision the last few weeks but Keira has been my rock. She has taken care of me, pushed me, kept me from going insane and most importantly loved me. She's always anticipating my needs and still finding ways to get me to laugh.

Tonight, I'm actually having a guys' night. The core team is coming over and we're going to watch boxing. Keira has asked Ella for a little help in preparing snacks so they were in the kitchen all day. They made us pizza (whole wheat crust, lots of vegetables, light cheese), scallops wrapped in turkey bacon, chick satay with a lighter but spicy peanut sauce, spinach and artichoke dip (lots of spinach, all low fat cheese). Keira wanted me to have a good night but she wasn't breaking on my diet restrictions (told you she can be tyrant).

The guys all showed up and Keira escorted them into the den. They all kissed and hugged her and then she left and grabbed them beers.

"Looking good man! You're also in a surprisingly good mood. I thought you'd be a cranky bitch by now," Vince said.

"Me too. But Keira wouldn't allow it," I grinned.

Keira returned with the beers and before handing one to me she paused. "Beer or pain pill? If you want to drink tonight you can't take your pills," she said.

Bobby walked up beside her, threw his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. "She is the best assistant I've ever had!" Bobby said with a laugh.

"Pain pills," I grumbled as Keira gave my beer to Ranger who just walked in.

"You staying to hang with the boys?" Ranger asked her.

"Nope. I'm off to run errands and then I'm going to spin class. I just wanted to say hello to everyone," she explained.

Everyone kissed and thanked Keira. I got slightly annoyed with how touchy all the guys are with her but then I remembered hugging Steph tightly and kissing her lightly many times so I bit my tongue. This is just the way the guys are showing her they care.

We watched the fight and demolished all the food that Ella and Keira made. My ribs and shoulder were starting to throb and I started getting up to get my pain pills.

"Shoulder?" asked Bobby.

"Yeah, I'm just going to grab my pills from upstairs," I explained.

"I'll get them. Bedroom?" he asked. I nodded my response.

Bobby flew back down the stairs with my pills wide eyed. "Holy shit! What the fuck have you two been up too? You know you still have to go easy!" Bobby scolded me.

"Huh?" I asked him.

"The little drawer that your pain pills are in is filled with sex toys, body massage oil and different kinds of lube. You have to be careful!" he said.

Unfortunately, all the guys heard the words "sex toys" and now their focus was on Bobby and me.

"Shit," Bobby said looking sheepish.

"Hold up. You and Keira are using sex toys? How the fuck did you get her to do that! She doesn't seem like the type," demanded Ram.

"We are being careful," I reassured Bobby. "We just decided since we're limited in some ways we should experiment with others. We've tried some sex toys, costumes, bondage stuff…you know to keep it interesting," I explained. Keira probably wouldn't love the fact that I'm sharing this information, but guys talk about sex. I will not get into specifics, it's none of their damn business, but we've been busted and I don't think we're doing anything to be ashamed about. Actually, I think what we're doing is pretty damn hot.

"How did you talk her into it?" asked Cal.

"Most of the stuff she surprised me with. I think she knew I was a little depressed and wanted to cheer me up…it did," I smiled.

"I just don't see it! I would've never guessed her being the type. I want to get a woman to dress up for me," said Vince.

"Then you need a girlfriend," I replied. "Keira and I do these things because we love and trust each other. Do you think I'd trust some random to tie me up? I'd be afraid they'd lift my wallet then leave me there. Keira's able to do these things with me because she trusts that I'll still treat her with the respect she deserves. Monogamy man. If you want really amazing sex, it's the only way," I explained.

"Christ, I never thought I'd see the day when Lester Santos was talking about how good monogamous relationships can be," Tank said with a headshake.

"Shit. You show me a hot chick, I'll show you a dude who's tired of fucking her," Vince recited the old adage that many of us used to swear must be true.

"You show me the same scenario and I'll show you a line of men ready and willing to take his place," Keira retorted sharply as she walked into the room.

"Fuck Keira! Sorry, I didn't know that you were back," Vince apologized. The rest of the guys cringed.

Keira rolled her eyes. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?" she asked.

"I was explaining the benefits of a monogamous relationship," I said.

"This doesn't have anything to do with the fact that the drawer by the bed is sitting wide open, does it?" she asked folding her arms.

Bobby winced. "That was my fault. I wasn't trying to go through your things, I was just getting Les a pill," Bobby explained.

Keira cringed slightly then looked around at all the guys guilty faces. "I know that you all understand that our sex life is private and is no one's business but ours. I also expect that anything you heard about it will no longer be discussed…ever," she said looking around the room.

All the guys nodded and mumbled apologies.

"I swear, sometimes I feel like I'm working with a bunch of fourteen year old boys instead of grown men," she muttered as she turned to head back upstairs.

We joked and bullshitted the rest of the night and it was well past midnight before everyone left. I was exhausted. I trudged up the stairs and Keira woke up just in time to help me out of my clothes. We cuddled up next to each other and before falling asleep, I kissed her forehead and said, "I love you. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Let's hope you never have to find out," she said as she snuggled closer to me.

The next week Keira and I moved back onto four and I started back at work. I began working out with Bobby and he was impressed with how good of shape I was still in. I was able to get back into the field within three weeks, instead of the predicted month.

Keira was nervous about this, but we talked a lot and I reassured her. I didn't want her to stress and cause unnecessary strain on her body. She seemed to be doing better now that she's off the prednisone and she's had a few more remicade appointments. She thinks the treatments are really starting to work and I couldn't be happier for her.

The holidays with my family were amazing and Keira had been officially adopted. I still wished she would talk about her family but she keeps saying she's not ready and I try to respect that. She's slowly opening up to me and I don't want to push her away by rushing her.

A few weeks after I returned to field work an offer came in. Ram, Vince and I were going into the wind for two weeks. I was excited to be back in action, but I was worried to see how Keira was going to handle this news.

Keira and I were lying in her bed on four after sex. She was in my arms and I was playing with her hair.

"I'm going to be going away for a little while," I whispered.

"What do you mean you're going away? Where? When?" she asked looking up at me.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow. I just found out a few hours ago. I can't tell you where but it will be, but I'll be gone for approximately two weeks," I explained.

"This is one of those missions that I've been hearing about," she said.

I nodded. "Are you okay with this?" I asked nervously.

"Do I have a choice? I love you and I want to be with you. This is part of your life that I'm just going to have to accept, I don't have to like it," she said.

"What can I do to make this better?" I asked.

Keira sighed. "Just stay with me, like this," she said as she cuddled closer to me. I held her tightly to my chest and we fell asleep tangled in each other's arms.

The next afternoon I was waiting in the garage with Vince, Ram, Ranger, Bobby, Tank, Stephanie and Keira. Our ride arrived and there were handshakes and hugs all around. I held Steph tight and whispered in her ear to please watch out for Keira while I was gone. She nodded and squeezed me back.

I turned towards Keira and gently took her face in my hands. I rested my forehead against hers. "I love you. Please take care of yourself. I'll be back soon," I whispered.

"I love you too. If you get so much as a scratch on you, I'm never letting you out of the house again," she warned.

I chuckled as I held her tight and breathed in her perfume once last time before I left. She grabbed my face and kissed me passionately. I groaned when she broke our kiss.

"Come back to me," she said.

"Always," I said as I kissed her one last time before leaving.

I was back to work, had the woman of my dreams and was about to go back to contract work. All was officially right in my world.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N - JE own everything you recognize.

No Beta- mistakes are mine and I apologixe for them.

Warning - These are adults in adult relationships. They have sex and sometimes bad language.

A thank you to all my reviewers! A lot of guests have been reviewing which I love, I just don't get the chance to thank them, so THANK YOU!

Chapter 23

Lester's POV

We were almost back to RangeMan after two and half weeks of being in the wind. I missed Keira like crazy. I couldn't wait to have her back in my arms. I wanted to smell her hair, hear her laugh, and bury myself inside her. It was late at night, but even if her apartment door was locked I was breaking the fuck in. I just needed to see her.

I got out of the van and Bobby walked up to greet Ram, Vince and me. There was some man hugs and as I turned to go Bobby grabbed me. "She's not here man," he said.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Is she at my townhouse?" I asked.

Bobby let out a breath. "She's back in the hospital. She's been there for almost a week," he explained.

"Another blockage?" I asked urgently.

"No. Worse. She has multiple abscesses. They're pockets of infection in her gut," he said.

"How the hell do they deal with that?" I demanded.

"Usually they would drain the abscess. But since its multiple small ones, there is no way to do it. She's on some heavy antibiotics. They're going to stop the remicade treatments because they suppress her immune system. It's time for surgery. As soon as the infection clears they're going to set up the surgery. I can take you to the hospital right now or you can get some rest and have some time to think on this and we can go tomorrow," Bobby explained carefully.

"I need to see her. Now," was all I was able to get out. I was just in a goddamn war zone and coming home to Keira being sick was way worse than anything I faced out there.

Bobby nodded and led me to his truck. We drove to the hospital in silence. I was too tense to talk. Bobby parked and then led me to Keira's room. She was sleeping in the dark room. I approached the bed and slumped down in the chair. She looked so pale and small in the bed. I leaned forward and gently took her hand.

"Do you want me to stay?" Bobby whispered. I shook my head. I felt Bobby's hand on my shoulder for a minute before I heard him leave.

I gently toyed with Keira's tiny hand. She just seemed so delicate and this disease raging inside her was slowly destroying her. Keira stirred. "Les?" she said as she slowly sat up. Her confusion slowly wore off and her face broke into a smile as she saw me. "You're alright! Oh thank God! I was so worried," she said as she reached for me.

I wanted to let out a bitter laugh. She's lying in a hospital bed with a massive internal infection that they can't treat in the usual way but I was the one she was concerned for. She weakly pulled me to her. I sat next to her on the bed and breathed in the scent of her hair. The scent I've been dreaming about for the last few weeks.

"Lie down with me," she said as she moved over to make room.

I toed off my boots and climbed into the bed. It was a good thing she was so small, we always were able to fit comfortably in these hospital beds. We've only been together a few months and we've spent too many nights in a bed like this. I wrapped my arms around my woman and touched her hair; she let out a content sigh as she cuddled to my chest.

As we lay in bed, I noticed a familiar scent…my cologne. "Keira? Why does the hospital bed smell like my cologne?" I asked.

Keira hid her face from me. "I hoped you wouldn't notice. I stole it before I came to the hospital. I sleep better when I smell it, so I sprayed a little on my pillow," she confessed.

I chuckled. "I love you, Quierda. I'm so sorry that I wasn't here for you. I hate the thought of you going through this by yourself," I whispered.

"I wasn't by myself. I had Bobby, Tank, Ranger, Steph, Ella not to mention the other guys and your family. I'm really okay Les. I wasn't in a lot of pain. I just got a really high fever and completely lost my appetite. I came in because I'm on immunosuppressive meds and the doctors told me whenever I have a fever I have to come in. They found the abscesses and are working on getting rid of them. I'm going to have the surgery. It's time," she said.

"I'm not taking any more contracts until you're better," I said as I kissed her head.

"You don't have to do that. I'm going to be fine," she reassured me.

"Maybe you don't need me, but I need you. I can't handle the thought of not being here for you. Can you understand that?" I asked her softly.

She nodded slowly.

"Sleep baby. We both need it. I've been waiting so long to hold you. Please, just get better," I whispered as we both drifted off to sleep.

They released Keira two days later, her infection was clearing up and she was put on antibiotics for another three weeks. She going to meet with a surgeon next week and schedule her surgery about a month from now. She was no longer allowed to receive remicade until a month after surgery. It could affect her body's ability to recover.

She returned to work and was trying to be positive about the surgery. Keira explained that she was just done with it; she was exhausted of the constant hospitalizations and being sick. She was becoming desperate for a solution. Keira was ready to dive into the deep end, she's had it.

We met with one of the best surgeons in the area who talked with us about the procedure. They didn't know how much they were going to have to remove until they got in there. They were going to attempt to do it laparoscopically but they may have to perform straight open surgery. The recovery would be approximately one month before Keira could return to work. It would be three months before she could lift anything over five lbs and a full year before her body would completely recover. I was ready for this. We could get through this together, I know we could.

I wanted us to enjoy the few weeks before her surgery. I had a few surprises up my sleeve. I stopped by Keira's office once afternoon and locked the door behind me. She raised her eyebrows at me. I lifted my key fob and turned off the security camera.

"I'm almost afraid to ask," she said.

"There's been something I've been dying to do which we haven't done it in a long time. Between me being injured, then away, than you being sick, it's been something we've been neglecting," I explained slowly.

Keira looked at me quizzically. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

I walked slowly around her desk and spun her chair to face me. I wordlessly dropped to my knees in front of her. I carefully pushed her knees apart and ran my hands up her thighs and grasped the sides of her panties.

"Lift," I commanded in her ear. Keira raised her hips so I could remove her panties. I tossed them on the floor beside me. I took one of legs and rested it on my shoulder as I began kissing up her leg and thigh. My head was under her skirt and I began to kiss her on her favorite spot and she gasped when she felt my tongue.

"Lester!" she hissed.

I chuckled. "You're going to have to be quiet, Hermosa. You don't want the whole floor to know what we're doing," I said and then I went back to using my tongue on her.

Keira moaned and slapped her hand over her mouth. I loved going down on her. She was completely under my control. I licked and rubbed until Keira's body jerked and her cries were muffled by her own hand.

I sat up, took her in my lap and began kissing her neck while she recovered. "What do you want, Quierda?" I whispered.

"Mmmmm. More," she replied as she gave me a passionate kiss. I picked her up out of her chair and rested her on the desk. Her hands went to my belt and quickly undid my pants. We came together quickly and passionately. She clung to me as I thrust hard. She buried her cries of pleasure into my neck and I kissed her hard as she came again.

I didn't last long after that.

"Wow," she breathed. "We should have sex in the office more often," she whispered.

I chuckled and kissed her. "You won't hear me complaining," I said.

"What brought this on?" she asked.

"Like I said, it's something I've been missing. We have some more fun surprises tonight. You should go back to your apartment and get ready. Think dressy casual," I said as I dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"What are you up to?" she asked giving me an assessing look.

"Only one way to find out," I grinned at her as I pulled back up my pants and fixed myself so I could leave her office. "Meet me in the garage in ninety minutes," I instructed.

She looked at me suspiciously for a second then nodded. Ninety minutes later I was leaning against my car in the garage as Keira was walking towards me. She was dressed in fitted jeans, heals, and a deep green shirt. "You look beautiful," I said as I pulled her into a hug.

"Can you tell me what we're doing? It's too early for dinner," she said.

"Just get in the car," I instructed.

We drove for about thirty minutes when I pulled up to a smaller hospital a few towns over.

"What the hell?" Keira asked as her eyes darted around the scene.

I sighed as I parked the car and turned off the ignition. I slowly turned to face her. "I thought this would be something that we could try," I said slowly.

Keira's eyes widened. "You want me to go to a support group!" she said as it all clicked.

"I want _us_ to go to a support group. This isn't just for Crohn's patients, this is also for friends and family members," I explained.

"I see Dr. Burke every week! Why do you want me to go in there and talk about everything with a bunch of strangers!" she hissed.

"Because, these strangers would be the only people in your life who actually know what you're going through. And I'm also looking forward to meeting people who understand what it's like to love someone who's sick and there's nothing you can do about it," I explained softly.

Keira let out a breath slowly. "I'm sorry. I've been selfish and haven't thought about what it's like for you," she said. "Let me make it up to you," she said as a wicked grin formed of her face. She unbuckled her seat belt and climbed in the back seat. "Wanna join me?" she asked.

_Is the pope Catholic?_

We began kissing passionately and it didn't take long for Keira's pants to be off and mine to be pulled down. Twenty minutes later Keira was touching up her make-up and I was contently running my fingers through her silky hair feeling completely relaxed from my hair to my toes.

"Sorry we missed the meeting Les. We'll try again another time," Keira smirked as she finished glossing her lips.

"Oh we didn't miss it. It starts in ten minutes. I got you here early because I expected a big argument. I'm fine with the way you wanted to pass the time, we can come early every week and have hot car sex," I whispered in her ear.

Keira froze. "You_ knew _what I was doing!" she asked incredulously.

"Baby, you are probably the most clever woman I've ever met in my entire life. But, did you really think I wouldn't have anticipated you trying in some way to get out of this? Give me a little credit," I said easily.

"Do we have to go?" she winced.

"I would like us to give it a try. You don't have to say anything that you're uncomfortable with," I explained as I kissed her hand. "The reward is we're going out for a nice dinner after. I've made reservations," I promised her.

Keira let out a sigh but gave me a nod. We got out of the car and found the room. There were approximately fifteen other people there including the person leading the discussion. Keira and I didn't talk too much during the meeting. We mostly listened to other people. I know she didn't want to do this but I was so glad we did. Listening to the spouses and family members of the people who were sick was really good for me. It was nice to know they had a lot of the same thoughts, feelings and issues that I did.

We walked out of the meeting and I had my arm around Keira. "What did you think?" I asked.

"I think it was refreshing to hear someone else talk about things that I've been going through. It was just reassuring that I wasn't alone," she admitted.

"I think we should do this again," I said slowly.

"Okay. My surgery is next week so maybe we can come back in two weeks?" she asked.

"I would love that," I whispered as I kissed her forehead.

I took Keira to dinner and we had a great time relaxing and talking about something other than the impending surgery. For the next week Keira and I were inseparable. I had something fun planned every night. We went to the movies, we went out dancing, we went ice skating, we went to visit Matty at O'Brien's, I even met up with a bunch of her old coworkers for happy hour one evening. I wanted Keira to really enjoy her last week before she was out of commission for a month. It was an amazing week that flew by.

Next thing I know I'm in the hospital sitting next to Keira who's getting prepped for surgery. She was in a hospital gown with an IV in her arm. Her body was riddled with tension.

"Nervous?" I asked her as I held her hand.

"Yeah. Maybe more anxious. I'm just ready for it to be a month from now," she explained.

I kissed her forehead. "I'll make sure to keep you entertained," I promised.

She laughed. "That's going to be difficult for you considering we're not going to be able to pass the time in the usual way," she teased.

"I don't care about that. I'm happy just to be with you," I reassured her. That was partly true. I was going to miss sex…a lot. But, this surgery has the chance of finally getting her disease under control. What's no sex for a few weeks compared to that?

Keira was injected with something to help her relax right before they rolled her into surgery. A giant smile spread across her face. "I don't know what this is, but I love it," she giggled.

I kissed her softly. "I'll be waiting for you. I love you," I said.

"Love you too," she slurred slightly as she was rolled away from me.

The surgery was over in less than two hours. Bobby was in the waiting room with me. The surgeon came out and shook our hands. The surgery was a success but he had to remove her terminal ileum, cecum, appendix and ascending colon. He was shocked by their condition. He said with that amount of scar tissue he wasn't sure how Keira was walking around. They also found two fistulas. I didn't know what that was so Bobby explained that a fistula is a passageway between two epithelium-lined organs that normally do not connect. This is a common complication in Crohn's patients. Keira got lucky; her fistulas connected her small intestines to her colon. Sometimes they attach other places and can cause massive and dangerous infections.

I breathed out a sigh of relief. I could see Keira in a few hours once she was out of post op. Bobby made the phone calls to all the guys and my family for me. Keira didn't even tell her family she was having surgery. I didn't like it but it was her call.

Bobby and I were able to see her once she was settled in a room. She was white as a ghost with lots of tubes coming out of her.

"Hey Sweetheart," Bobby greeted softly.

"Hi," she mumbled quietly then winced.

"I know it hurts, Baby. The nurses are hooking you up to a pump," I explained.

The nurse was in the room trying to get the pump set up. I was a little annoyed with it taking so long.

"No pump. Shot. It hurts," Keira mumbled as she continued to wince.

"I know it does, Baby," I said as I tried to soothe her.

"It's coming Keira, I promise," said Bobby.

"It's getting worse. It's bad," she tried to say as she gasped.

"Is there any way you can just give her something?" I snapped at the nurse.

"I'm going as fast as I can Sir," she snapped back.

"It's bad. I'm going to be sick," Keira said as she tried to sit up.

"You shouldn't be sitting up!" the nurse called out.

"Sick!" Keira tried to say forcefully. The nurse dashed to the side and handed Keira a cup. She hasn't eaten anything in over twenty-four hours so I think the nurse thought she was going to dry heave. She didn't.

Keira body jerked as she vomited bright green liquid into the cup and all over herself. She just kept vomiting and crying out in pain. The nurse dashed and got her a more suitable bucket to vomit in. Keira was gasping in pain. Bobby was looking on in horror. "Get her pain meds now!" he demanded.

The nurse nodded and sprinted out of the room to get her a shot. The nurse came back with a doctor he took one look at Keira then injected pain meds into her IV. "Ms. Morgan, I'm so sorry that you're in pain. This will help. Can someone tell me what happened?" he asked. Bobby took over considering he was the medic.

"Clean her up," he ordered the nurse. "She's on fentanyl but I'm also going to put her on toradol for the pain. I'll get her on valium to keep her relaxed and hopefully keep her stomach muscles from contracting. She's in a lot of pain right now. She just vomited after having surgery on her abdomen she's going to be incredibly sore," the doctor explained to Bobby and me.

"Is this normal?" I asked him desperately.

"No. Something's wrong," he answered.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N - JE own everything you recognize.

No beta- mistakes are mine.

Warning - medical chapter not as fun chapter. Then next one will be a little more character driven. Thanks for all the support I've received for this story! It means a lot to me!

Chapter 24

Lester's POV

My heart stopped in my chest when the doctor told Bobby and me that something was wrong with Keira. Between the anesthesia and the pain killers Keira was pretty out of it. She seemed to be trying to focus on what was going on but she was struggling.

Bobby and the doctor were talking quietly but intensely in the corner. I just sat by Keira's bed and stroked her silky hair. She loved when I touched her hair. It's something I found myself doing early on in our "relationship" she loved to wear her hair straight but it was naturally wavy. It was always silky and soft. I don't know what kind of hair product she used but it always smelled amazing.

"I love you. I promise you, I'll take care of you," I whispered.

"It's not fair," she mumbled back.

"I know, Quierda. You're so strong," I said as I continued to stroke her hair.

"No. It's not fair to you. I was wrong. I'm not strong. It's not right," she continued to mutter.

I just ignored her protests; she could barely open her eyes. "Baby, just rest. Please," I whispered.

Bobby came over to me and motioned for me to step aside. "They need to stick a tube down her nose and into her stomach. It will prevent vomiting. They'll also be able to get barium solution down so they can scan her and see what's happening," Bobby said.

"Why do you have that pained look on your face?" I asked.

"It's extremely uncomfortable and frankly, fucking miserable. But this needs to happen. The doctor is going to get the tube and talk to the nurses. You just need to be there for her. Hold her hand," Bobby said firmly.

_Fuck. I can barely stand see her in pain now. How much more can I take? How much more can she take?_

"Ms. Morgan?" said a resident. "We need to perform nasogastric intubation. We're going to place a tube into your nose which will go down into your stomach. This will drain your stomach so you will no longer vomit. We also need to do a CT scan. This will allow us to get the barium into your system without us worrying that you'll get sick so we can see what's going on. I have to warn you, it's uncomfortable," the resident explained gently.

"No. Please. Just let me sleep," Keira begged.

"I'm sorry Ms. Morgan. We have to do this," the resident repeated shooting me a look.

"Keira, we need to do this. I'm right here. I love you. Please do this," I begged her.

Her watery eyes met mine. She nodded slowly.

"This is going to hurt, but the important thing is that you keep swallowing. Alright?" the resident said.

Keira pursed her lips together and looked at me for strength. I squeezed her hand.

She nodded. I felt like shit. She was already in so much pain. I watched the doctor get the tube down her nose and command her to swallow. Keira gripped my hand and squeezed her eyes shut. She continued to swallow as tears began streaming down her face silently.

"Good Ms. Morgan," the nurse encouraged. "It's time for the toradol and I'll get you the throat spray which will help," she continued. I shot her a grateful look.

Keira was a mess. She was the color of the sheets she was lying on. Her tiny belly was swollen and bandaged. She had a tube down her nose, oxygen on her face, an IV and a catheter in. She was very small to have so many tubes coming out of her. It just didn't look right.

The nurse came back in and sprayed Keira's throat to numb it and then injected her with more pain meds. Keira's eyes began to flutter then finally closed.

"We'll be doing the scan tomorrow. She needs to sleep. I suggest you two do the same," the doctor said.

"I can't leave her," I whispered.

Bobby pointed to the empty bed in Keira's room. "He'll be sleeping in here. Your hospital isn't full. RangeMan makes annual donations. Ours will be a little more generous this year," Bobby said as he handed his business card to the doctor.

"Get them both comfortable. Mr. Santos, the nurses are going to be in and out of this room every two hours to administer pain meds, the valium and to check Ms. Morgan's vitals. You won't sleep well, are you okay with that?" he asked me.

"I'm happy that your staff is going to be on top of Keira's care. I'm also a partner at RangeMan and this is the woman that I love," I explained.

I think the doctor and nurses were doing their best anyways, but I didn't think it hurt to apply a little pressure.

"Understood. We can arrange for this room to be private if you're willing to pay," said the nurse.

"We are," jumped in Bobby.

I had already packed a bag and was planning on spending the night by Keira's side anyways. The doctor and nurses left and Bobby pulled up a chair next to mine. "What do you think?" I asked him as I held Keira's hand.

"That green stuff she was vomiting comes from the small intestines. I spoke with the doctor, he's afraid there might be a leak at the anastamosis site, right where they joined her intestines back together," Bobby explained quietly.

"How do they treat that if it's true?" I asked quietly.

"It can heal on its own. What they would have to do is insert a drain in her side to drain the leaking fluid. She would also be unable to eat or drink while it heals. They'll put a picc line in her arm, it's like a permanent IV. She'll be on TPN until it heals which stands for total parenteral nutrition. It's a way of feeding her through the IV and by passing the usual digestion process, this will give her intestines time to heal," Bobby said.

"So if they find this in the scan tomorrow, she'll just have to be here a little longer?" I asked.

Bobby hesitated. "She'll probably be here longer because of what happened anyways. They'll most likely send her home with the drain and picc line. If it's true, it's going to take some time this to heal. With the shape that her body is in and all the drugs she was on this may take several weeks," Bobby said slowly.

"You're telling me she might not be able to eat or drink for _several weeks_?" I asked incredulously.

"We don't know that yet. The doctor just thinks this is most likely what is going on. We won't know anything until tomorrow. Try and get some sleep. She's going to need you," he said.

I never climbed into bed that night. I couldn't let go of Keira's hand. The nurses in techs were in every two hours checking on her, it was reassuring. They were on top of her pain meds and even when Keira was awake she was still pretty out of it. _Thank God for small favors_.

Bobby came back early the next morning with Tank. He threw gym clothes at me. "Go run. That's an order," he said firmly.

I just stared down at Keira who was still so pale. "Don't worry about her. We're not going anywhere. She'll kick all our asses if you end up sick with worry over her," Tank said.

I sighed and left for a long run. I came back an hour later, showered and changed. I admit the run helped. Tank and Bobby were waiting for me with coffee, fruit and a bran muffin.

Keira was just starting to wake up. The tube down her throat made it difficult to talk. She gave Tank and Bobby a weak wave. "You can't ever make anything easy can you?" Tank teased.

"What would be the fun in that?" she mumbled and gave him a weak smile.

The nurses came in with the barium mixture and began pouring it down the tube. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" I asked her as I took her hand.

"The tube hurts. This just feels weird. I can't feel anything until it hits my stomach and it makes me feel full and cold," Keira explained.

They carted her away for the scan and Bobby filled Tank in on what the doctor suspected. An hour later the doctor came to talk to Bobby and me. He was right. The anastamosis site was leaking. Keira was currently in radiology having a drain and picc line put in.

"How did this happen?" I demanded.

"It's not uncommon in bowel resection surgeries," the doctor explained.

"Does it have anything to do with her vomiting?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, that's a chicken or the egg issue. We're not sure if the pain caused her to vomit which opened the site or the site was splitting open causing pain and vomiting," he explained.

"When can we take her home?" I asked.

"I'm afraid it's going to be some time. Her blood pressure is all over the place and we discovered that her incision is infected, most likely when she vomited on herself. We're going to need to keep her here until she can control the vomiting. We're hoping to be able to take the tube out of her stomach in a few days," he said.

_I can't even wrap my brain around all that is happening. I feel so helpless and useless. _

I looked at Bobby. "She's going to be okay. It's a one issue at a time. They're going to get the vomiting under control and remove the tube. They're already working on the infection and as long as we stay on top of it, it will clear up. I'll check on it every day. I promise. We'll get her home and comfortable and she'll be able to heal. It's just going to take a little longer than we expected but we can do this," Bobby reassured me.

"I think I need some air," I admitted.

"Take Tank with you. I'll wait here just in case Keira gets back," Bobby said.

I walked numbly out of the building with Tank. I didn't say anything I just breathed for a while.

"I don't know if I can do this, man," I finally said quietly.

Next thing I know a large hand cracked me across the face. I grunted.

"Pull it together soldier! I know this is tough, but you need to be strong. She can't see you like this," Tank barked. "She needs to fight through this, you need to be there supporting her. Do you want her going through this alone?" he asked me.

The thought of Keira being here alone, going through all this alone killed me. "No. I could never do that to her. Thank you for that," I said as I touched my cheek. "I almost lost it for a second," I admitted.

"It's alright. We all have these moments. You came out of yours quickly. Now go see your woman and reassure her that everything is going to be fine," Tank ordered.

I nodded and headed back to see Keira.

Keira was in the hospital for two weeks. They were able to remove the tube on day four. Keira was much better once that was gone. She was becoming more lucid, she kept watching cooking shows. I thought that was strange considering she couldn't eat. She never really asked about food. I think she was in too much pain. They gave her these sponges that she could wet and suck on but that was the only water she was allowed.

The doctors showed how to clean out the infection in her incision. It's a good thing I have a strong stomach because they basically made an opening to drain the infection and then gave her a long antiseptic Q-tip which she had to insert in the opening and go all the way up the three inch incision to make sure it was properly cleaned out. It looked miserable and Keira's jaw would clench in pain when she would do it, but she insisted learning on how to do it herself. She didn't want Bobby to have to do it, even though he told he would come by the necessary three times and gladly do it.

When she was finally released I wish I could say she looked better. She was very pale still and lost a lot of weight. It was a good thing they were finally going to start her on the TPN. She had two lines in her upper arm. One was for the TPN and the other was for the intravenous antibiotics and antifungal that she was going to be on daily to prevent any further problems. She was still on a lot of pain meds and the doctor prescribed her liquid Percocet which she could take every four hours.

Bobby drove us back to RangMan. All the guys, Steph and Ella were in the garage waiting for us. Keira didn't want that many visitors in the hospital, she knew she looked scary and didn't want to freak anyone out. She was really weak and unsteady on her feet so I gently pulled her into my arms and carried her out of the car. She barely weighed anything at this point.

All the guys started clapping and cheering for her. Keira's head was resting lazily against my chest. She gave them a little wave. I looked at all their faces and knowing them as well as I do, they were hiding the shock of her appearance. She did not look good. She was pale, thin, with dark shadows under her eyes. She had a drainage bag clipped to her sweatpants and IV tubes hanging down her arm.

We have a long road ahead of us and I've never been more unsure of anything in my life.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- mistakes are mine and I apologize in advance.

Thanks to all those reading and reviewing! It means a lot to me. Next Chapter we'll hear from Keira and see how she's holding up.

Chapter 25

Lester's POV

I brought Keira to her apartment and gently placed her on the bed. Bobby carried in a large box of supplies. It was a pump for the TPN, multiple bags of this weird ass cream colored liquid which Bobby explained was the TPN, flushes, heparin, alcohol pads, latex gloves, batteries, Q-tips, bandages, medical tape, little globes of the antibiotics and antifungal and Bobby brought up the IV stand so Keira could hang the TPN bag on it.

"Christ," I said as I looked at all the shit.

"I know this is all overwhelming, but it's going to be fine. It's just going to be hard for a little while," Bobby said.

"Will you show me how to do all this stuff?" I asked.

"Absolutely," Bobby reassured me.

"I need to learn," Keira said as she came into the kitchen. "I'm not going to depend on you or Les to do it for me. I need to be able to do this myself," she said.

"Quierda, you should probably be resting," I said.

"I'll rest. Once I learn how to hook up the pump and hook myself up to the TPN," she said firmly. "And then I would like a shot," she said looking at Bobby.

Bobby nodded. He could continue to give her intravenous paid meds for another week. Bobby showed Keira how to hook up the TPN, how to flush the lines and how to hook herself up to the antibiotics and antifungal.

Keira finished hooking herself up to the TPN. "Good Sweetheart!" Bobby praised her. Keira gave him a smile in return. "You're going to be hooked up to this stuff for 12 hours a day. It's best to do it at night while you're sleeping. You can do the antibiotics and antifungal during the day. The radiologist wants to see you in two weeks to check if you're healed. I think you'll feel better after the first round of TPN," Bobby said.

"That's good. I'm beginning to get hungry, will it help?" Keira asked.

Bobby hesitated. "Keira, this isn't going to be easy. You're not going to feel like you've eaten. You're going to continue to be hungry, the TPN won't fix that. You're only allowed a sip of water an hour," Bobby explained gently.

Keira sighed and nodded. "I think I'm ready for that shot. Les, why don't you go to the gym or to your office? I'm going to probably sleep for awhile and it's not even eight," Keira said.

"I don't want to leave you," I explained.

"I'm fine, just tired and you can't always be with me. You need to get back to your life. Please, I already feel guilty enough for keeping you away the past two weeks," she begged.

"Alright, but leave your door unlocked. I want to sleep next to you," I said.

Keira nodded. Bobby and I helped her back to bed and then Bobby gave her a shot of pain meds. Keira was asleep in minutes.

"Come on. She needs to rest and we need to hit shit. Let's go to the gym," Bobby said as he guided me out of Keira's apartment.

Bobby worked me out hard, I needed it. Both our shirts were completely soaked through by the time we finished.

I was going to head back to four to clean up but Bobby dragged me to the conference room. All the core team members as well as Steph and Ella were assembled. "You ready for us?" Bobby asked Ranger.

Ranger nodded and motioned Bobby and I to enter. "What's going on?" I asked.

"We're coming up with a plan to care for Keira," Ranger explained.

"I don't get it? What do you mean?" I asked.

"According to Bobby she's going to pretty confined to her apartment and unable to eat for the next few weeks. We all want to be there for her. We've come up with a schedule," Ranger explained.

"Schedule?" I asked. I was really confused about what was going on.

"Lester, we know you're worried about leaving Keira alone for too long so we're all going to take shifts, so to speak," Ella began to explain. "I'll come by in the morning. I can help her bath and change and then I'll be able to do some cleaning and take her laundry," Ella explained.

"Ella, that's really generous of you but I can't ask you to do that," I said.

"You didn't. I want to do it. I love that girl, we all do. She's part of this family now and she needs us," Ella said firmly.

"I'm going to come by and hangout around lunch time, considering I'm going to be off field work for awhile," Stephanie explained.

"Why are you off field work?" I asked quizzically.

"I'm pregnant," Stephanie said with a shy smile.

I felt like I got the wind knocked out of me for a moment. _Pregnant? Stephanie is Pregnant?_ A twinge of jealousy stabbed at me. I brushed it aside.

"Congratulations! I'm happy for you guys!" I said as I recovered.

"Thank you, we found out a couple weeks ago but with everything going on we didn't get a chance to share the news with you and Keira," Stephanie explained.

_Was I jealous because Ranger and Stephanie are having a baby and I wish I was Ranger or am I jealous that their having a baby because I wish Keira and I were having one? _I never told her or anyone for that matter, but ever since the day in the medic's office when I thought Keira might be pregnant with my child I thought about kids and my future a lot more.

"She'll be so happy to hear it," I said to Stephanie.

"We all want to take turns in spending time with Keira in the afternoon," Tank said as all the other guys began nodding their agreement.

"This will give you a break. You'll be able to go to work and not have to worry about her," Bobby explained. "I will be checking on her every day. I'll be at every doctor's appointment and I'll review every test result. Hopefully, she'll be healed by the radiologist appointment," Bobby said.

I breathed out a sigh of relief. The appointment was in two weeks. _We could handle two weeks. She could be healed and well on the way to recovery in two weeks. _

She wasn't. She wasn't healed by the next appointment, two weeks after that either. Her body was taking a long time to heal. Keira has been home for over a month and I've watched her slowly deteriorate physically and mentally.

She hasn't eaten or drank anything in six weeks at this point. She's lost almost twenty pounds of weight she couldn't afford to lose. Her once toned body was whittled away to skin and bones. The feminine curves were gone. The only reason she hasn't lost more was because of the TPN. Bobby finally got it to stabilize her weight so she wouldn't lose anymore. Keira's once toned arms and legs now resembled tooth picks. Her sternum, ribs and spine protruded through her skin. The bag that hung by her now alarming hip bones, was still collecting the bright green fluid, but it was becoming less and less every day which Bobby said was a good sign.

Keira was barely left alone. Everyone was always in and out of her apartment. This was a huge relief to me because Keira's blood pressure had dropped to the point where she can't stand up without everything going black for minute and almost passing out. Bobby has told her that she has to sit up very slowly, the wait, than slowly push herself off the couch if she needs to get up. Even doing all that she still struggles with the room going black for a few seconds.

The guys have all been amazing about coming and spending time with her every day. But some of them have been avoiding her, particularly Hal and Vince. I talked to Bobby about it and Bobby told me that Ram confronted Vince and Vince finally admitted that he had feelings for Keira and couldn't bring himself to see her like this. That made me think about the afternoon I watched Vince kiss Keira while they danced in her office. It was a long time ago and I always figured he was just trying to get in her pants. The thought of Vince actually liking a woman was strange.

Hal has a female cousin that he was close to growing up. She had some illness and was really sick for a long time. Keira's situation reminded Hal of that and he's been avoiding her so he doesn't have to think about it. Keira didn't seem overly hurt by this. She just shrugged and said it's not their problem that she's sick. She doesn't blame them for not wanting to deal with it.

She's becoming colder and more distant with each passing day. She can barely stand any one touching her, even me. I mentioned this to Bobby and he thinks Keira's depressed. She still jokes around with whoever is visiting and she's always tries to appear upbeat and happy when I'm around, but there are moments when I see the facade crack. I'll catch her looking out the window, her face grim, her eyes distant and her mind distracted. I wish she'd talk to me but when I ask her what she's thinking about, she just gives me a wry smile and says "food."

I finally called Dr. Burke who agreed to come meet with her at her apartment, since she has trouble getting out. After their session, Bobby, Tank, Ranger and I met Burke in the conference room to discuss Keira's mental state.

"Honestly, I think she's holding up remarkably well for someone in her circumstances. We're going on two months without food and her not being able to drink. Those sensations don't go away gentlemen. She admits that she feels like she's going crazy now and then. She talked about watching the entire series of 'Lost' and even with all the stuff going on in that show, all she could think about was how much food they had for being stranded on an island," Burke said.

Tank snorted.

"So she's not depressed?" Bobby asked.

"Of course she's depressed. I don't think this is a chemical imbalance situation. I think she's going through something most people will never understand and she's struggling mentally and physically. I was even taken aback by her appearance," Burke explained.

"What do you suggest?" I asked.

"Give her a break, maybe even a little space. From what she tells me, she's never alone. This is admirable but at the same time she feels like she needs to keep up this pretense that everything is fine when she's around other people and she's exhausted. Let her talk about how she's really feeling. I also think it's important that you go out and continue at least part of your normal life. Keira feels guilty like she's holding you back," Burkes said looking at me.

I sighed. _She feels guilty that I'm not going out and behaving normally and I feel guilty when I do go out and behave normally._

"Why don't you go out with some of the guys tomorrow night? Just go out have a drink and unwind. Steph will hang out with Keira," Ranger suggested.

I ran my hand over my face.

"It would probably do you both some good," Burke said. "You're going through this too. Everyone needs a break now and then. Keira's not in a position to get one, but that doesn't mean she wants you to continuously suffer in silence next to her. You need to be strong for her and the only way you're going to be able to do that is to take care of yourself, both mentally and physically," Burke said.

I finally agreed and Burke agreed to come by and see Keira twice a week until she could start eating again.

The next night I was standing in Keira's apartment feeling guilty as all hell for leaving her. She was sitting on the couch in one of the black RangeMan tank tops with black RangeMan sweatpants that Ella has given her. She was hooked up to her antibiotics and was assessing my appearance as her eyes traveled up and down my body. "You look nice," she said giving me a smile.

"You always look beautiful," I said back.

Keira rolled her eyes. "What? Is my drainage bag exceptionally flattering today?" she asked.

"Neither the bag nor the picc line nor the bandages on your stomach will ever take away from how gorgeous you are," I said as I walked over and kissed her hair.

She sighed. "Please go have fun tonight. Get drunk, play pool, give Matty a hard time, just enjoy yourself. For me," she begged.

"I will Quierda. But know I'll be thinking about you the entire time. Leave the door unlocked so I can sleep next to you," I said.

Keira nodded and I gave her a quick kiss just as Stephanie arrived. "Hey Les! A bunch of the guys are downstairs waiting for you," Steph said.

"Thanks. What are you two up to tonight?" I asked.

"I've finished 'Lost', 'The Tudors', 'Weeds', 'Freaks and Geeks', 'Rome' and 'Arrested Development' so I think I'm moving on to 'Dexter'," Keira said.

Steph winced at the thought of watching a show about a serial killer but she didn't say anything.

"Have fun. I love you. I'll be home soon," I said.

"Don't. Close down the bar, you need it," Keira said grinning at me.

I did need it. We got to O'Brien's and Matty was thrilled to see me. "Santos! It's been months! How's Keira? She still under house arrest?" he asked.

"Yeah man. She's hanging in there though," I said.

"That is one tough chick man. Don't worry about her, she'll pull through it. Here, have a beer and a shot on me," Matty said as he poured me a tequila shot and handed me a Miller Lite.

A tall, extremely attractive, exotic looking waitress approached the bar. "Matty I need two car bombs for table 12," the woman said.

"Alice! Let me introduce you to Lester Santos. This is Keira's boyfriend," Marry said.

"Hi," I said offering her my hand.

"I've heard a lot about you! I'm Alice, Matty's wife. I used to come in and hangout with Keira while Matty closed the bar when I was pregnant. She's an amazing girl. I'm so sorry to hear about everything that's happened. I was thinking about bringing the baby by to see her next week. Do you think she'd like that?" Alice asked.

_This is Matty's wife? Damn did he marry well!_

"I think she'd love it. Thanks Alice," I said sincerely.

"She's lucky to have such a great guy," Alice said warmly as she squeezed my shoulder and went back to work.

Next thing I know, Ram handed me another shot. I had several more beers and maybe three more shots before we started playing pool. We were gathered next to a group of women which the guys were all sizing up.

I was with Ram, Vince, Manny, Zero, Junior and Binkie. None of them had girlfriends so it was kind of a free for all. I just concentrated on the game and getting drunk. I haven't had sex since before Keira's surgery and I was avoiding eye contact with these women so they didn't think I was coming on to them.

I had a few more shots and beers. I was pretty fucking lit. I stumbled out of the bathroom and ran into one of the girls from the group that we've been hanging out with. "Whoa, you almost took me out!" she said as she placed her hands on my chest.

"Sorry about that," I mumbled.

"Well, I think you might owe me a drink for that," she said as she leaned her body into mine. She was barely wearing a top. It looked more like a sparkly bandana that she tied around her large, most likely fake breasts. Right now those breasts were pressed firmly against my chest. Bad thoughts began running through my drunken brain.

"Sorry, I think I've had enough and should probably be going," I said.

The woman rose up on her toes and pressed her lips firmly to mine. I responded without thought and returned the kiss. She slipped her tongue into my mouth and my body began reacting to the sensation.

One thought broke through my drunken haze. _Keira_.

I pushed the woman away from me. "I can't do this. I have a girlfriend who I need to be going home too," I said as I gently pushed her away.

"You don't think you should, but you want to," the woman whispered as she reached down and stroked my hard on.

I moaned at the feel, than snapped out of it. I grabbed her hand and pushed her away. "I love her. I'm going home," I said as I pushed past the woman.

I looked up and locked eyes with Alice who was staring at me from the server station. Her face was stricken, she saw the whole thing.

I began to walk toward her to explain. "You're an asshole. I hope Keira realizes it soon," she said coldly.

"It's not what it looked like. I love Keira," I explained_. _Even listening to my own words I know it sounded weak.

"Well, she deserves someone who loves her better. She doesn't deserve that," Alice said as she grabbed the drinks from the bar and went to drop them off at a table.

I looked up at Matty whose jaw was tense. "She came on to me and I stopped her," I said.

Matty sighed and nodded. "Listen, I'll talk to Alice, she won't say anything to Keira. Just go home and handle your shit. Got it?" Matty said.

"Yeah man. I don't want to get you into trouble with your wife," I said.

"I've slept on the couch before; I'll probably end up doing it again. Don't worry about us. We're fine. Go home to your girl," he ordered.

I walked outside and grabbed a cab. I was still unsteady and pretty drunk. I stumbled into Keira's apartment and was surprised to see her still sitting up on the couch hooked up to the TPN bag.

"What are you still doing up, Baby?" I slurred.

"I thought I'd wait up for you. It's not like I have anything else to do," she said with a grin. She gave me a good once over. "You're shitfaced," she said with a laugh. "Did you have a good time?" she asked as I fell down on the couch beside her.

"I did. I missed you though," I drunkenly whispered as I brought my face close to hers.

Keira's face froze. She slowly brought her thumb to my lips and dragged it across my mouth. "You might want to wash your face next time before coming over here. You're still wearing her lip gloss," she said.

I froze. "It's not what you think," I tried to explain.

"Just get out," she said quietly.

"No! She came on to me! I pushed her away!" I said desperately.

"I don't want to talk about this now. You're drunk, just get out," she said as she stood up. Unfortunately, Keira's blood pressure got the better of her and she almost fell as her eyes glazed over.

I caught her in my arms. "Please mi amor, let me explain," I begged.

Keira weakly shoved me away from her. "You need to leave," she said as she leaned against her IV pole for support.

"I'm not leaving you until you let me explain!" I said.

Keira turned around and looked at me. She lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm asking you, one last time to leave," she said dangerously.

"I'm not going anywhere until you listen to me!" I demanded.

Keira took a giant breath and let out a blood curdling scream. _What the fuck!_

Within seconds Bobby and Cal burst though her door with weapons drawn, both were just in boxers having clearly been woken up by Keira's scream.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Bobby demanded.

"Lester's drunk and he hooked up with another girl. He has the lip gloss to prove it," Keira said. "I asked him to leave and he's refusing. I don't exactly have the physical ability to make him," she pointed out.

Cal and Bobby froze. "Keira, Les wouldn't do that to you," Cal said slowly.

"He did. I want to be alone. Please?" she said.

"Les, come on man. Sleep it off then try talking to her tomorrow," Bobby said carefully.

"Keira, please just listen to me! I would never betray you! Baby, please!" I begged.

Keira's eyes were so cold, it was like looking into a strangers.

"Get out," she repeated for what felt like the hundredth time.

Bobby placed a hand on my shoulder and guided me out of the door and back to my apartment. "Just sleep it off man. Whatever happened, you can explain it to her tomorrow when you're sober. She loves you," Bobby said.

"I don't want her to be alone right now," I said.

"I'll go check on her and sleep on her couch. Okay?" Bobby said.

I nodded numbly. _What the fuck have I done?_


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.**

**No Beta- mistakes are my own.**

Chapter 26

Keira's POV

I should've seen it coming. It was only a matter of time really. He was trapped in this hell with me and it wasn't fair. I knew we shouldn't have gotten involved. It was my fault, I should've been stronger. I should never have continued sleeping with him after that first night. I shouldn't have depended on him, leaned on him, fallen in love with him. I was so fucking stupid sometimes. It was enough to make me sick (I probably would've vomited if I had anything in my system).

Once Lester left I grabbed my bottle of liquid Percocet. I was sore and hopefully it would at least allow me to sleep. I measured out the amount and downed it. It was nice to be able to swallow something. I chased it with a tiny sip of water. I grabbed my damn IV pole and walked to the bathroom to wash up for bed. I heard my apartment door open and close. _Fuck. _I really just wanted to be alone, no fake smiling, no trying to come up with jokes about my condition, just silence.

I trudged out of the bathroom dragging my constant companion behind me. Bobby was standing in my living room.

"Are you alright?" he asked me.

I was about to say 'I'm Fine', but I couldn't even fake it at this point. "I'm tired. Really tired," I said weakly.

"Christ, Keira. Of course you are," Bobby said as he gently walked over to me and put his arms around me, gently hugging me to him. "He loves you. I don't know what happened tonight but I know that man loves you," he whispered into my hair.

"It doesn't matter," I said.

"Shouldn't it?" he asked.

I shook my head. The pain killers were kicking in and everything was getting a little fuzzy, Bobby helped me to bed and kissed my forehead. He said he'd be on the couch. I told him that it wasn't necessary, he told me to shut up.

I slept hard for five hours. Woke up, took more pain meds then slept until my TPN pump began beeping, indicating that it was done. I pulled myself from bed and headed to the kitchen so I could unhook the pump and flush my picc lines. I've become a pro at all this stuff. Bobby wasn't on the couch, I was finally alone.

Once I was free from the IV pole I headed to the bathroom to clean up. I couldn't take a shower or a traditional bath because of the picc line, drain, and incision. I basically filled the tub with about three inches of water so it would just cover my thighs but was still low enough not to touch the drain. I would be able to clean myself, shave my legs and other body parts and then I would use the extendable shower head to wash my hair. It wasn't perfect but I pretty much as clean as I would be in a bath. I really missed showering.

Once out of the bathtub I brushed my teeth and scrubbed my face. Feeling clean was the highlight of my day. I changed into clean RangeMan sweats pants and a tank top. Ella has been a saint and has been doing my laundry and cleaning my apartment. I really owed her.

I made sure to move slowly so the room wouldn't go black. This blood pressure thing was a constant problem. I could barely move without passing out. It got worse as the day went on. I was always better right after my TPN infusion. I walked to the living room with my brush in hand. I was planning to put on more 'Dexter' and spend the day watching him cutting up people. It suited my mood.

I hoped it would distract me from the constant hunger gnawing at my belly. I often wonder if countries ever use starvation as a torture device. It would work on me. I'd tell anyone anything at this point just for the ability to eat.

I walked into the living room and found Tank, Ranger, Bobby and Stephanie. "What's going on?" I asked them as I walked over to my couch and carefully sat down.

"Bobby told us what happened last night. We're concerned," Ranger said. Ranger's not much of a talker. I always wonder how he and Stephanie communicate.

"I'm fine, thanks for checking in," I said.

"I talked to Lester. He told me his side of the story. Some woman hit on him in the bar and he walked away. I think he was telling the truth. He was back here early and all the guys confirm that he never left the bar except to come back here. I don't think anything happened with that woman," Bobby said.

"It doesn't matter. Lester was trapped in a relationship with me. He wanted an out. He got it," I said firmly.

"Maybe he didn't want out. Did you ever think of that?" Tank asked.

"Take a good look at me. I'm barely a person at this point. I can't eat, can't drink, can't have sex, can't leave my apartment, hell, I can't even stand up most of the time. I'm not much of a girlfriend," I pointed out.

"He wants to see you," Stephanie said.

"I can't. Not yet," I said.

"Keira, you have to tell us what's going on in your head. We can help you," Bobby urged.

"Stephanie has powdered sugar on her shirt, probably from her morning doughnut. I want to lick it," I said. "The only thing I can really concentrate on right now is food. It's all I think about. Steph and I watched 'Dexter' last night and there are some pretty brutal scenes but I really didn't notice. All I could think about was how there are always doughnuts and bagels at the police station and no one is eating them. If I were there, I'd eat the shit out of some bagels," I said.

"Burke's coming this afternoon to talk to you. If you need anything please let us know," Ranger said.

"Thanks," I said.

Everyone left and minutes later Hector and Manny arrived to watch 'Dexter' with me. Hector even brushed my hair for me and French braided it. He said his sister taught him how. It was soothing to have him touch my hair. It reminded me of Lester. I shoved that thought quickly to the side. _Lester and I are done. _

Burke showed up for our biweekly session. Of course Ranger told him about Lester. God forbid there's ever any secrets around here.

"How are you feeling?" Burke asked me.

"Hungry," I replied.

"How are you feeling about Lester?" Burked pushed.

"It hurts. But I don't feel like I have a right to be mad at him," I admitted.

"Why? Why don't you have the right to be mad that your boyfriend cheated on you?" he asked me.

"Because I clearly can't give him what he needs. Hell, half the guys probably he think he deserves a metal for lasting as long as he did," I pointed out.

"You consider yourself less of a person because of the physical condition your body is in," Burke stated for me.

"I don't know. I feel like I'm drowning and anyone who tries to save me is just going to get pulled under with me. So I need for them to just let me go down," I explained.

"That's a strong image," Burke pointed out.

I shrugged. "Maybe I just have a flare for the dramatic," I said.

"You are an incredibly strong woman. Don't you see that?" he asked me.

"It's hard to feel like superwoman when a baby carrot could take you down and you can't stand up without passing out," I pointed out.

"There are all different kinds of strength. I know for a fact that everyone in here is in awe of what you're doing," Burke said.

I snorted. "It's not like I'm doing this to demonstrate my sheer will power. I'm doing it because I don't have a choice," I said.

"You need to give yourself a break and give yourself a little credit for how you've been handling this situation," Burke said.

I just sighed. I really didn't know what to say anymore. "I think you should give Lester at least a chance to explain himself," Burke said breaking the silence.

"Have you ever read 'Pride and Prejudice'? Or seen the BBC version?" I asked Burke.

He raised his eyebrows at me and nodded. "There's this scene in the beginning that Lizzie and Jane are talking about marriage and Lizzie says something like, 'If I could find a man to love me for a mere 500 pounds a year I would be very lucky, but I could never love a man whose out of his wits'," I said.

"Like a catch 22? Because you're sick you don't believe you can be with someone you love because you love them too much to ever put them through being with you. But you could never be with someone you didn't love," Burke said breaking down my thought process.

"Pretty much," I admitted.

"You're in a really dark place, right now. Things can get better and from talking to Bobby, they're well on their way. It won't always be like this," Burked pointed out.

I just shrugged. Burke's tie had little apples embroidered on it and I constantly found myself staring and thinking about apples. The thought of chewing, tasting the juice, the feeling of having something in my mouth. My stomach grumbled in response. Burke raised his eyebrows at me then called the session.

Two weeks past uneventfully, I had another radiologist appointment with no results. I was healing but they weren't ready to remove the drain and allow me to eat. I was still refusing to see Lester. Every day one of the guys would come in and ask if I was ready. I always said no. It was a little strange, he was right next door but we had no contact. I missed him. Really missed him, but I couldn't admit it to anyone. I could barely admit it to myself.

One day to my surprise my door was flung open and in walked Hal and Vince. I haven't seen them since before my surgery. I froze in surprise. "Hey, Keira. Long time, no see," said Hal shyly. I knew Hal was nervous about seeing me in my current condition. I was so happy he made the effort that I wanted to cry. I wouldn't let myself just because these guys aren't good with tears and I finally got him to come see me, I wasn't going to scare him off.

I took a good look at Hal's outfit. He was dressed in dark jeans, a pink button up shirt tucked in, a black vest and a black tie. I decided to reassure him that our relationship hasn't changed. "Where the hell are you going dressed like a Jonas Brother?" I asked him.

Vince let out a cackle and Hal's face relaxed into a grin. "I have a date," he said with a smile.

"Well, you can leave your purity ring at home. Your virginity is safe because there is no way that a grown woman is going to sleep with you wearing that outfit," I pointed out.

Hal's smile got bigger as Vince laughed harder. "Fuck Morgan! I've missed you!" Vince said as he sat down next to me.

"Are you busting my balls or are you serious?" Hal demanded.

"A little bit of both. Where are you guys going?" I asked.

"Just out for a beer," he said.

"Go put on that blue and white striped shirt you have. Ditch the vest and tie, don't tuck in the shirt and wash a third of the gel out of your hair. Come see me when you're done," I advised.

Hal just grinned and before he left he turned and said. "I'm really sorry I haven't come by sooner."

"It's forgiven. Don't mention it again," I said. Hal gave me a grateful smile and left.

"What no fashion advice for me?" Vince teased.

"You can change your clothes, but you're stuck with that face. You'll always look like a douchebag," I said.

Vince chuckled and threw his arm around me and pulled me close. He kissed my hair. "I'm really sorry Keira. I should've been here for you," Vince mumbled.

I felt myself relax against him. "It's okay. I get it, I really do," I said.

"You really are an amazing woman, you know that right?" he asked me.

"It's nice to hear it," I said. Vince dropped another kiss on my head and Hal came back into to show me his date outfit.

"Much better, knock 'em dead," I said. Hal gave me a soft kiss on my cheek then left. I could tell he still felt guilty.

Stephanie came down later and we watched cooking shows. I've become obsessed, its mesmerizing for me to watch food being prepared. Steph commented that I don't even blink while they're on. It's going on week eleven without food. I dream every night about eating. I wake up in a panic, thinking that I might have actually eaten something and I should call 911. I never did. There's not even food in my apartment. The only thing that I have is a Brita, which makes keeping my kitchen clean pretty easy. I guess focusing on food is better than focusing on Lester.

Stephanie and I were on the couch when I felt a pain jab in my side. I gasped. Stephanie turned to look at me. "Keira? Are you okay?" Stephanie asked me.

I clutched my side and breathed through the pain. I then glanced down and my drainage bag, which was collecting barely any green liquid at this point, was now filling up fast with brownish, green liquid. "Shit, something's wrong. Can you get Bobby?" I asked.

Stephanie sprang off the couch and dashed out of my apartment. Bobby came running in followed by Steph and Lester. I haven't seen Lester in three weeks and I wasn't sure how to react when he came into my apartment. I just froze when I saw his face. His eyes frantically searched mine.

"It's my bag," I said to Bobby.

"Shit, we need to go to the hospital," he said.

"I can pack your bag if you want," Lester said. I nodded, unable to say anything right now. My mind was just too overwhelmed.

Lester ran to my room and came back a few minutes later with a bag while Stephanie gathered up toiletries. I went to stand. "I don't think you should be moving too much Keira," Bobby stopped me.

Lester handed my bag to Bobby and gently reached down and picked me up. I wanted to cry at the feeling of being in his arms and smelling his cologne. I missed it so much. I didn't cry though, I just focused on breathing.

I was rushed to the hospital and then Bobby and Lester got a doctor to see me right away. I was examined by several doctors and then went for a scan. An hour later the doctor came in. I didn't realize it but I'd been holding Lester's hand while I was waiting. I was thankful for him being there, even if I didn't want him to know it.

"Ms. Morgan, the drain that was being used has unfortunately pierced your colon and is now lodged in your colon. This is a problem, and we have several options. We could try to pull it out but this could cause your colon to rip and release toxins into your body. You could go septic very quickly. We could leave it in for the time being and your body would heal around it, in a few months we'd be able to pull it out without as high of a risk," the doctor said.

"Would I be able to eat?" I asked.

"No. You would have to continue as you are now, basically on bed rest, no food or liquid by mouth," the doctor explained. Lester's hand tightened on mine, or maybe I was gripping his tighter, I wasn't really sure.

"Are there any other options?" I asked.

"Surgery, another bowel resection. We go in and remove the leaking anastamosis site as well as the part of the colon that's been pierced. They're right next to each other so you wouldn't lose much bowel," the doctor explained.

Everyone was silent for a few moments, giving me time to process. I slowly looked around at all the concerned faces. "Fuck it. I want to do the surgery," I said.

"You're sure? You could take more time," the doctor said.

"I need to try something. I can't wait with crossed fingers any longer," I said.

"I'll send the nurse over to do your pre-op blood work. We can get you in first thing in the morning," the doctor said.

I looked at Bobby and Lester's hard faces after the doctor left. I didn't think they agreed with my decision. I didn't give a fuck.

I determinedly forced my eyes to meet theirs and said, "My body, my choice."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Did we like hearing from Keira? Is she being crazy or would you have done the same? We'll be back to Lester's POV tomorrow. **


	27. Chapter 27

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No beta- mistakes are my own.

For those asking about Domestic Bliss, a new chapter should be up soon. My beta has had computer issues but should be getting chapter 19 back to me today or tomorrow. I promise to work as quickly as possible to have it posted as soon as possible. Thanks!

Chapter 27

Lester's POV

_More surgery? Is she out of her fucking mind? Maybe if she thought this through for more than five seconds…Christ. _

Keira looked up at Bobby and me with a challenging expression and said, "My body, my choice."

Bobby sighed. "Keira I'm not saying you're making the wrong choice, but you didn't exactly take the time to really think on it and weigh the options and the potential risks," Bobby pointed out.

"I know, that you both think I'm being rash. But, I can't continue living my life like this. I thought I was stuck in purgatory before, but the way I've been living the past three months…it was barely living. It wasn't just the not eating and drinking. I lost my ability to work, my boyfriend, even some friends couldn't bear to see me. I can't keep doing this," she said.

I felt my chest tighten when Keira mentioned losing me. "Keira, I know I fucked-up, but you didn't lose me. I'm always going to be here," I said softly as I touched her hair. I missed doing that so much it made me ache inside. I missed her. It's been a miserable few weeks.

"Yes, I did," she said quietly. "That's not the point now, I need to get my life back," she said. "I'm sorry if you don't agree or if you think I should take more time but I'm having the surgery. The sooner the better," she said firmly. "You should both go and get some sleep, they're getting my room ready," Keira said.

I glanced at Bobby and we did our silent communication thing. Bobby kissed Keira's hair while I pulled up a chair. Keira gave me a confused look. "Bobby's running back to RangeMan to get me some things. I'm not going anywhere and it isn't up for discussion," I explained.

Keira looked like she was going to argue, but she was just too damn tired. A nurse came by and gave her a pain shot and Keira began struggling to keep her eyes open. "Sleep, mi amor. I'm not leaving you," I whispered.

Keira's breathing evened out and we were eventually brought to a room. Bobby returned with a bag for me. He slumped in a chair besides mine and handed me some coffee.

"Do you think she'll take me back?" I asked.

"I know she loves you. The more I've talked to her the more I realized her breaking up with you wasn't because of what you did. She doesn't feel worthy of anyone in the state that she's in. I think the best thing you can do for her now, is just be there for her. I wouldn't put any pressure on her. She still has a long recovery ahead which she's going to need to concentrate on. Can you handle it?" he asked me.

"I would do anything for her," I said earnestly.

"You're planning to be celibate until she's better?" he asked me with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah. My forearm's going to be getting a hell of a workout for awhile but it will be worth it. I just need to prove to her that I'm really not going anywhere and that despite all this shit, I still want to be with her," I said.

"She's tough man. Probably one of the strongest women I've ever met. She can get through this," Bobby said as he clapped me on the back as he stood to leave.

_She is far and away the strongest person I've ever met. _

The next morning the core team and Stephanie showed up for Keira's surgery. It was a packed waiting room and I was pacing around like an idiot. I think I may have sucked down too much coffee last night because I was a complete disaster.

When the surgeon finally came out, he had nothing but good news. The removed a very small section of her bowel, the drain is no longer necessary and I could go back and sit with her as she woke up. Everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Keira was lying in the hospital bed, beginning to slowly wake up. I watched as her hand began slowly traveling across her belly then down. My breath caught in my throat when I thought about the times I got to watch her touch herself. I was instantly hard. _Was she doing this in her sleep? It has been awhile since we've had sex. _I couldn't even breathe as I watched her hand travel lower then it began to drift to her right hip and she let out a contented sigh as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Having a good dream?" I asked in a husky voice.

"Hmm?" Keira looked at me in confusion.

"Baby, you were about to perform one of my favorite acts in your sleep," I said as I glanced at her right hand at her hip. "I love watching your hand run across your body," I said as I lightly touched her hand. I know she just woke up from surgery but my god; it's been so long since we've been together and my mind was racing with inconvenient thoughts.

"I was checking to see if I still had my drainage bag in, you pervert," Keira snorted. "You need to get laid," she muttered.

"Tell me about it," I said with a disappointed sigh as I tried to concentrate on baseball stats.

"I've just been cut open again, Les. My hormones aren't exactly functioning right now," Keira explained.

"Sorry, I just got excited. You don't understand how sexy you are," I explained.

"I'm skin and bones with cellulite and a swollen abdomen. I never thought I'd say this, but you really need to raise your standards," she giggled.

"My standards are impossibly high. You're the only one who meets them," I whispered as I kissed her forehead. "Get some rest Quierda, I'm not going anywhere," I reassured her.

Keira's eyes closed slowly and she was back to sleep.

This hospital stay was so different from the last one. They took every precaution with Keira. She had the tube stuck down her nose immediately to make sure she didn't vomit. She was places on valium, toradol and fentanyl to try and control the pain. There was a small surgical drain poking out of her left side draining a little blood and other fluid. After one day in the hospital tubes started slowly being removed. First the tube in her nose, then the oxygen, then the catheter. Keira was pulled off the TPN on day three and was given….FOOD.

Keira was sitting up in bed when she was brought a tray full of yogurt, pudding and Ensure. She looked at the meager meal in front of her with large eyes. "Go slow," warned the nurse. "You're going to get full very quickly. Don't push yourself," the nurse said gently.

The nurse left and Keira turned her large blue eyes on to me. Her face was so small and pale and her eyes stuck out like an anime cartoon character. "I can't believe this is actually happening," she whispered.

"It's happening. Try to eat something," I said as I climbed into bed with her and pulled her to me so she sitting up against my chest.

She snuggled against me and slowly picked up the spoon and put it in the yogurt and then placed it in her mouth. Her already wide eyes got even wider. She swallowed and looked at me. "It's weird having something in my mouth," she admitted shyly.

I chuckled and kissed her hair. She was so cute with the yogurt. "It has such a strong taste," she said curiously. She stuck the spoon back in and offered me some. I shrugged and tasted the yogurt. It was bland as all hell.

"I think your taste buds may be in overdrive," I explained.

She shrugged and ate a few more bites then began frowning. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm full. I've barely eaten and I'm really full," she said in surprise.

"Well relax, Quierda, we'll fatten you up soon enough. Go slow," I said as I gently pushed the tray away from her and adjusted the bed so we were lying down together. I gently stroked her hair as she let out a contented sigh.

"What do you want to do once you get outta here?" I asked.

She thought for moment. "I want to get fat. Like really, obnoxiously fat. I want to eat French fries, pizza, cheesecake, ice cream and bacon! I haven't had bacon in years," she giggled.

I chuckled. "Baby, if you ate all that I think your intestines would just explode," I pointed out.

"Ah…but what a way to go," she laughed.

It was so good to see her smiling. There was also a new light in her eyes, I think for the first time in three months Keira was actually hopeful about her future. I'm just hoping her future includes me.

The next day I surprised Keira with bright red nail polish and told her I would paint her toe nails for her. Keira grinned as I sat on the bed and pulled her small feet into my lap.

I was gently blowing on her feet waiting for the nails to dry when Keira and I were interrupted. "My god woman, you must do some fabulous things for this man in bed," Warren said as he walked into the room.

"Hey Warren!" Keira greeted him with a large smile.

"Keira. Keira's fuck buddy," he greeted us.

I chuckled while Keira rolled her eyes. "Seriously, young man, do you have a foot fetish?" he asked me as he placed the flowers he brought on the table.

"No. She just likes to have her toe nails painted and she can't bend to do it herself right now," I explained.

"Well my dear, he clearly loves you. I suppose I should stop emailing your picture to my sons," he said.

"That's never stopped you before," Keira pointed out.

"Well, I like this boyfriend. I've never like your other ones," Warren explained.

Keira got uncomfortable. "Warren, Lester and I aren't currently together. He's just a really good friend and a good guy," Keira explained,

I wanted to point out that I'm not such a good friend or a good guy to most women. I'm good to her because I love her, but I kept my mouth shut.

Warren studies Keira's face for a long moment. "What happened?" he demanded.

"It just didn't work out," she explained.

"Keira, you always were a shit liar. You'd never make it as an attorney. You know I'll find out eventually. I was planning to stop in and see Matty who gossips like a school girl. Alice is back at work now too," Warren said.

_Shit. _My mind flashed to that fateful night at O'Brien's and Alice's disgusted expression.

"It just didn't work out. It was too hard with me being sick," Keira tried to explain.

Warren just looked at her. He didn't believe a word of it. I swallowed hard and decided to man up. "I fucked-up. I got wasted one night and a woman grabbed me, kissed me and propositioned me," I explained.

"So you went home with this woman," Warren guessed.

"No! Absolutely not! I stopped it and then I went back to Keira's," I explained.

"Then what exactly is the problem?" Warren asked. "Sounds like you were given the opportunity to cheat and didn't take it. Take it from someone who has issues being faithful to his wife," Warren said.

"You shouldn't be proud of that," Keira said.

"I'm not. I lost the love of my life after only three years of marriage when Caroline was killed in a car accident. Since then it's been a revolving door of women who have always been a poor replacement. All my wives have known that I cheat. I marry the type of woman who doesn't care as long as she has access to my credit cards, some take their own lovers," Warren explained.

"You're young, you both are. If you really love each other, it seems foolish to throw that away over a non-indiscretion. But what do I know? I'm just an old man," Warren said easily. I could tell Keira was feeling the weight of his words. _Damn, this guy is awesome._ I don't think anyone is able to get through to Keira the way Warren does.

"Well my darling, I must be off. I know you've had a tough time, but take solace in the fact that even in that horrendous gown, you don't even look remotely chubby," Warren said as he stood and kissed Keira's cheek.

Keira was released the next day. They doctors removed the picc line and the surgical drain. Keira was going home without a single tube in. "I look almost human," she said grinning at me and Bobby as we wheeled her to the car to take her back to RangeMan.

"You look good Keira. The guys are all excited to have you back," said Bobby.

This ride back Keira was able to sit up and she had a small wistful smile on her face. When we pulled up to RangeMan everyone was outside waiting for us. I opened the door and was going to carefully lift Keira. She was still incredibly weak and even lost a few more pounds now that she was no longer on the TPN.

Keira gently pushed me away. "I'm walking," she said firmly as she let me help her out of the vehicle. The guys broke into cheers on seeing her. She gave them all a big smile and a friendly wave. She stood up as tall as her small frame would allow and slowly and purposefully walked into the RangeMan.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- Mistakes are my own and I apologize in advance.

We're going to find out a little bit more about Keira. Thanks for all the support and my reviews! I read them all and really appreciate the feedback esp. since this is not an R/S story.

Chapter 28

Lester's POV

Once Keira got back to her apartment, the first thing she did was take a shower. She was in there so long I went to check on her. She came out with pruney hands and feet but a giant smile. I chuckled when I saw how small she looked in her robe.

"What?" she asked me.

"You look freaking adorable. We need to get you fed girl, none of your clothes fit," I smiled at her.

Her eyes softened as she walked over to where I was leaning against the arm of the couch. She rose up on her toes and slipped her arms around my neck. My arms encircled her and I hugged her delicately to my chest. She felt so right in my arms.

"I wanted to say thank you, for everything. We aren't together and you were under no obligation to be there for me, but you were," she whispered.

"Nothing I do for you is out of obligation, it never was. I do things for you because I love you and I want to. I know you're not ready now, but understand as soon as you're a little stronger, I'm coming for you and I'm not taking no for an answer," I mumbled into her hair.

She froze in my arms and pulled away from me so she could look at my face. Her eyes were large and she looked nervous. I gently touched her face and slowly brought my lips to hers. I brushed them once gently. Keira didn't pull away. I kissed her softly and I was pleased to feel her return my kiss. I wanted to push my tongue past her lips and pull her on top of me and begin to explore.

I stopped kissing her abruptly and fought for some self control. _She just had another surgery. Her body is hurting and weak, she can't have sex._ Not to mention, I want her to be mentally and emotionally prepared. I want a relationship again, not just a fuck buddy.

I breathed deeply and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you and I'm going to be here for you," I said as tilted her chin up so she'd meet my eyes. Her face flashed with confusion and doubt.

"Mark my words, Morgan. I will prove it to you," I said as I began to smile at her. She relaxed and rolled her eyes at me. "Come on. Let's try eating something and then you can sleep. Bobby's planning on making you walk starting tomorrow," I said.

"I'm looking forward to that. Is there any way you can get my laptop from my office? I would like to start working a little from home. I know I'm useless on painkillers but I can work a little in the mornings," she said.

"I'll check with Bobby and see if he thinks it's alright," I said.

"Seriously?" she said.

"Yeah, I know you're climbing the walls after the past few months but I don't want you to do too much too soon and end up sick," I said. "Come on. Ella made carrot ginger soup. Let's see if you can get half a cup down," I said as I grabbed Keira's hand and took her to the kitchen.

Keira started walking on the treadmill a little every day. Bobby never left her side. This was good because she tends to get dizzy and lightheaded pretty easily. Keira worked hard and followed all Bobby's instructions. He rewarded her by letting her do about an hour of work every day.

Within four weeks Keira put on a solid five pounds in the "right way" as Bobby called it. She ate healthy and walked every day. I decided I wanted to do something special. Keira was going to come back to work part time on Monday, so I thought it was important to get her out of the RangeMan building for a little while. She's hasn't been outside much since this all started.

I took us to the park. "What are we doing?" she asked.

"It was time to get you out. I thought we could go for a walk," I said.

"What happens if I get dizzy?" she asked.

I chuckled. "Baby, you're beautiful and you're looking healthier every day but you still weigh as much as a fifth grader. I could carry you the entire way without a problem," I said.

Keira flushed slightly.

"Hey, I'm proud of you. So are the rest of the guys. You're getting better the right way and the right way is going to take some time. You look better and better every day," I reassured her.

Keira gave me her shy smile. She still struggles with compliments and praise.

We walked for about twenty minutes on a trail when we came to one of the large open fields right next the largest parking lot and Kiera gasped. "A farmer's market!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I thought we could pick up a bunch of vegetables and fruit. Ella's making potato leek soup tonight and she gave me a list of stuff she needs," I said.

Keira's eyes lit up and her smile was huge and genuine. I slowly reached down and took her hand; she turned and looked up at me beaming. "Thank you," she said.

"We're not done yet. We have shopping to do," I said.

Keira and I spent the next hour wandering through the market picking out vegetables and fruit. If would have told me a year ago that I would voluntarily be spending time looking at produce, at a farmers market, on my day off, for a woman that couldn't even have sex with me, I would've bet my life savings that it would never happen. But here I am, pouring over bushels of apples while Keira excitedly bounces on her toes and the worst part is: I liked it. I was happy to be here with her.

After we finished buying produce I took Keira down another path where I had set up a picnic blanket and basket (Ella may have had a hand in helping with this, because I didn't have a fucking clue what to bring).

Keira gasped again. "Lester! What is all this?" she asked.

"Another little surprise," I explained as I kissed her hand.

We settled down on the blanket and I pulled out a bottle of Ensure from the basket. "If you drink half, I'll give you your other surprise," I said.

Keira gave me a suspicious look but began sipping the Ensure while I took out a knife and began peeling an apple for her. She can't have the skin just yet. I cut up the apple into small pieces and Keira began nibbling on them. Once I was satisfied with what she ate I reached into the basket and pulled out her other surprise.

Keira took the little bag from me and slowly opened it. Inside was a small candle which was clean linen scented, some Sephora lip gloss (Stephanie picked it out, it's some moisturizing, all day wear…she explained it to me but I stopped listening part way through) and an envelope.

"Lip gloss, the smell of cologne, penguins, farmer's markets, candles that smell like clean linen, and painted toe nails….right?" I asked.

She just looked at me in surprise.

"I painted your toe nails last night, I'm definitely wearing cologne, we went to a farmer's market, Steph helped with the candle and lip gloss and I was going to give you a stuffed penguin, but then I heard you're rant on stuffed animals," I explained.

"I may weigh what a twelve year old weighs, but I am a grown woman. What would I do with a stuffed animal once I'm done thinking it's cute, which is about five minutes max," she pointed out.

I chuckled. "I know Hermosa, that's why you should open the envelope," I said.

She opened the envelope and her big blue eyes looked at me in surprise. "You got me tickets to the New York City aquarium?" she said.

"I did. No stuffed penguins. We'll go and see the real thing once you're a little stronger," I said with a smile.

"I can't believe you did all this. I can't believe you remembered. It was such an off handed comment in the hospital," she said in disbelief.

"Keira, I admit that I tune out most women. Just ask my mother. But I listen and pay attention to everything that you say," I said.

She wordlessly wrapped her arms around my neck and I just held her in my arms. I gently laid us down on the blanket and she cuddled up to me just like she used to. I began playing with her hair and we spent the rest of the afternoon looking at the clouds wrapped in each other's arms talking. It was one of the best days I've had in months.

Keira was back in work on Monday. We only had one client meeting. Some guy was coming in just to talk to us about the possibly of installing a security system in his business. We didn't have much information on the guy so the meeting would be just about establishing the basics. What type of business? Square footage? Number of employees? Number of entrances?

Keira decided she would sit in and take notes. She was dressed in a black wrap dress which was tied tightly around her tiny waist. Her swollen belly protruded slightly, but it was getting better every day. Steph was almost six months pregnant and she was showing Keira a picture of the sonogram when I came to collect Keira for the meeting.

The two women were pouring over it excitedly. "Sorry to interrupt. Keira, are you ready?" I asked.

"I am! Steph, we'll catch up at lunch. Thanks for showing this to me," said Keira handing back the sonogram picture.

"No keep it! I have so many!" Steph said.

Keira smiled and thanked her as she grabbed her note pad and we headed to the conference room.

"Look at this!" Keira said smiling at me holding the sonogram picture as we walked down the hall towards the conference room.

"It's awesome. You ever think about kids?" I asked as I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Maybe," she said giving me a flirty grin.

I smiled back as we entered the conference room. Ranger, Tank and Bobby were already there. Our prospective client was a younger, good looking guy of medium height with blonde hair.

Keira froze when she saw him. "Mark!" she breathed as her eyes widened and her face went pale.

"Hello, Keira. It took me some time but I knew I'd find you," he said slowly.

"Who the hell is this?" I demanded.

"I'm her fiancé," Mark answered as he tossed an engagement ring on the table.

_Keira had a fiancé?_ _What the fuck is going on?_

"Keira's been working here for months. We all know she's not engaged," Bobby said as he stood up.

"You may mean ex-fiance," Tank said.

"I think to be an ex you actually have to have a discussion about breaking up," Mark said coldly.

Keira was frozen.

"I'd like a moment to speak with Keira, alone," Mark said.

Ranger looked at Keira who nodded slowly.

Ranger, Bobby and Tank slowly made their ways to the door. Keira looked up at me apologetically. Her eyes were watery and she quickly blinked away whatever tears she was about to shed away.

Bobby put his hand on my shoulder and guided me out of the conference room shutting the door behind them.

"Come on," he said quietly as he led me to his office.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

"We're going to watch what's going on," he said as he pulled up the camera feed and sound from the conference room on his laptop.

"Isn't this an invasion of privacy?" I asked.

"You can leave if you're uncomfortable," Bobby said.

"Move the fuck over," I growled.

Keira and Mark were just staring at each other from across the table. Mark slowly walked around towards her. Keira took the smallest step back and Mark stopped moving forward.

"So I can't even be near you anymore?" he asked.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"You know why. You just left. I got back and your stuff was gone, not even a fucking note. I called your office and they said you relocated. I called your parents and they told me you wouldn't even tell them where you were going," he growled.

"I thought I was doing you a favor," she said.

"I fucked-up Keira! Alright! I admitted that! I told you as soon as I got you home from the hospital. I confessed that I slept with her. Do you know how hard that was?" he said.

"Yeah, I know. Then you said you needed time to think and you were going to go to your parents' beach house for two weeks and we could talk when you got back," Keira said.

"Yes! And when I came back you were gone! I came back ready to beg your forgiveness. I was ready to play nurse to you for the rest of our lives! I was going to give up everything for you and you didn't even have the decency to hear me out! You just took off," he shouted.

"What the fuck did you expect? You didn't see me as your girlfriend anymore! I was just a burden to you! I was in the hospital and you told me you couldn't take off work, but instead of working you got drunk and slept with someone else. Then you take me home from the hospital tell me what happened and then say you're not sure you can be with me and you need time! But somehow I'm the asshole because I left!" she shouted back.

"Keira, we were living in hell! We hadn't had sex in months! I fucked-up, once in five years, I fucked-up. I came back for you! You're so goddamn selfish you never realized how hard it was for me. You were sick, so you got a pass. I was always the asshole. I was still going to marry you! I was going to spend my life playing nurse and you don't even care!" he yelled.

"Relax Mark. I left you. You no longer look like the bad guy. I took that role," Keira said coldly.

"Bullshit! Everyone suspects something happened! I'm a prick because I cheated on my sick fiancé but I wanted to make it right and you wouldn't let me," he said.

"You are a prick for cheating! I didn't tell anyone, okay? Blame it on me," Keira sighed as she threw her notebook on the table. The sonogram picture slid out and landed in front of Mark.

His eyes widened as he slowly picked up the picture then his eyes traveled to Keira's swollen abdomen. If he knew anything about this shit, he would have realized that the baby in the sonogram was too developed to be Keira's, considering the size of her bump. But he didn't

"You're pregnant?" he said, looking completely shell shocked.

I expected Keira to roll her eyes and bite his head off but she didn't. She ran her hand over her swollen belly and nodded slowly.

"Who's the father?" he demanded.

"Not you, so you have nothing to worry about," she said

Mark quickly raised his hand and slapped Keira across the face. Keira let out a hiss but remained on her feet.

I jumped up with a roar but Bobby grabbed me and pinned me down.

"You fucking slut! I loved you! I was giving up any chance I had at a real life to be with you and you hop into bed with someone else, what? As soon as you're outside the beltway?" Mark seethed.

"You should go. I left you. I'm pregnant by another man. No one's going to blame you anymore," Keira said.

Mark grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the conference room.

Keira slowly closed the door behind him and turned leaning against the door. Her body started shaking and a sob escaped her. She slapped both hands over her mouth as she continued to sob. Her body slowly crumbled to the floor.

She just sat on the floor with her face buried in her hands silently sobbing. I realized that I've never seen her really cry until now.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- mistakes are my own.

Posting schedule might be slowing down, I actually may have found a job! Thanks for the love and support, esp for a Lester story! =)

Chapter 29

Keira's POV

I felt like someone socked me in my already very sore stomach when I saw Mark in the RangeMan conference room. I couldn't breathe when his eyes met mine from across the room. When Mark said the word "fiancé" I could feel the tension vibrating off Lester. I wanted to throw my arms around him and tell him that I'm sorry. I should've told him. When I glanced at his face, I saw the hurt and betrayal written all over it. I felt my eyes fill up with tears; I blinked them quickly away as the partners left Mark and me alone.

We argued, threw accusations at each other and yet he kept fighting for us to be together. He doesn't love me. He hasn't in years. He feels guilty, disgustingly guilty. We got engaged a year and a half into dating and I was diagnosed about six months after that. He kissed my lips, held my hand and whispered promises and reassurances in my ear. But our wedding got postponed…indefinitely.

At first, I thought it was a good idea to postpone the wedding until we adjusted to my diagnosis, I never thought that we wouldn't adjust. Mark became more distant with each hospital stay; he was frustrated with me for being ill and mad at himself for feeling frustrated. It was a nasty and vicious cycle.

When Stephanie's sonogram slid out onto the table and I saw Mark's face, I knew it was my moment. I didn't just want to hit the final nail into the coffin, I wanted to light the coffin on fire and burn it to the ground. He couldn't handle the guilt he carried, not just about his cheating, but about how he couldn't handle being with someone chronically ill. He asked me to marry him and right before we said the words "for better or worse, sickness and in health" we got hit with "the worse" and "sickness" aspects and he couldn't deal.

I gave him the one gift that I could. I let him hate me. He got to be the victim, the man whose fiancé left him without so much as a note and then got pregnant by someone else. I saw the hand coming when Mark was about to slap me. Bobby taught me how to block that kind of strike a long time ago. I could've, so easily, but I let him slap me. I felt like it was a fitting end to our relationship.

When Mark left, I was overwhelmed by my emotions. I leaned up against the closed door and a loud sob escaped me. I slapped my hands over my mouth to silence my weeping. My legs could no longer support my weight and I fell to the floor. I don't remember the last time I cried but I couldn't control myself now. I cried for the loss of Mark and the good relationship we once had, I cried for the loss of my life that I loved so much in Washington, I cried for the months that I lost locked in my apartment unable to eat, I cried for the loss of Lester, I hated how much I loved him. I cried for the years I've lost being sick, I cried for the future I could've had if I wasn't sick, I could be married, with children, and had gotten my MBA by now, I cried for the lost years in my twenties that I'd never get back and mostly I cried because it was all just so damn sad.

And then I cried harder for feeling pathetic.

Lester's POV

Bobby released me and I just stared at his computer screen. Keira was collapsed on the conference room floor sobbing silently.

"Go to her. If you love her, now is the time she needs you," Bobby said.

My heart was breaking watching her pain. But was she crying over him? Did she really love him and I was just his replacement?

"What happens if she loves him?" I asked quietly.

"She just told this guy she was pregnant by another guy, I'd say she really wanted to end it with him. He just fucking slapped her for fuck sakes! You really think that they're in love? You said you would always be there for her, time to sack up," he said.

I wanted to kill Mark for laying a hand on her. I could never slap Keira, no matter how bad she hurt me. I wanted to chase after him and break that hand he used to hit her. But right now, she needed me more.

I took a breath, pulled myself together and took off to the conference room. The door was locked so I pulled out my lock pick and popped it. I slowly opened the door.

Keira was quickly trying to wipe her eyes. "Sorry, I just dropped something," she said awkwardly as she scrambled to her feet. Her eyes were red and her face was splotchy.

"No, you didn't" I said quietly.

I walked slowly towards her and gently pulled her into my arms. I felt her body wrack with sobs once again. I began softly whispering to her in Spanish as I held her tight. I told her that I had her and she could let go. I told her I loved her and I would always be there for her.

Her sobs quieted and she was hiding her face against my chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so embarrassed," she said.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," I said as I kissed her hair.

"I should've told you. I can't tell you how sorry I am," she said.

I felt a pang of guilt. I never told her about the tracker I placed in her car or how Matty set up our first meeting. She wasn't the only one keeping secrets and lying.

"We can talk about it later. Right now I want to take you back to your place and we can have some tea," I said.

She nodded.

I protectively put my arm around her and led her back to her place. She changed into pajamas while I made tea. She looked drained.

I just got her settled onto the couch when Bobby, Tank and Ranger came in.

"I'm sorry for that interruption today. It won't happen again," Keira apologized.

"We're not down here for that. We wanted to make sure you're alright," Tank said gently.

"I'm fine. Thank you. I also owe you all an explanation," she said.

"Only if you want too," Bobby said.

Keira sighed but then nodded. "Mark and I were engaged. We got engaged before I got really sick. He could never handle me being ill, it drove a wedge between us. It came to head when I was hospitalized and he was supposed to be working. He wasn't, he went out drinking with some of his coworkers and ended up sleeping with someone. When I got home from the hospital he confessed everything to me and told me that he needed some time. The plan was for him to go to his parents' beach house for two weeks and then he'd come home and we'd talk. I let him leave thinking that I agreed. As soon as he was gone, I called Warren. I knew that there was a job opening in Trenton so I told him I wanted to transfer immediately. I knew if I stayed Mark would want to get back together, not because he loved me because he felt guilty. I want to be with someone who loves me and wants to be with me, not someone who feels obligated to be with me," Keira explained.

Ranger nodded his understanding.

"I didn't leave a note and I couldn't tell my family where I was going because they think I'm making a huge mistake. I knew they would tell Mark where I was if they knew," Keira explained.

"Is that why you won't see them?" I asked.

Keira sighed and picked up her cell phone. She played a voice message then put the phone on speaker so we could all hear. A female voice came on, "Keira, I know you're angry, but honey you need to understand. It's going to be so difficult for you to find anyone given your situation. Mark wants to make this right. You were engaged before you got sick, it wouldn't be right for him to leave you and he knows that now. He screwed up, but no one is perfect. He got a lemon, and now he knows he has to deal with it. He calls every week trying to find you. Honey, we love you very much and are just worried that you'll end up being alone, you deserve to have someone taking care of you and Mark is willing to do that. Just think on it. Love you," the message ended.

Keira shut off her phone. "That was my mother and that's why I'm not ready to see them," she explained.

"Your mother actually called you a lemon? Like a broken down car?" Bobby asked incredulously.

"Oh yes. My father came up with that analogy. They believe I'm Mark's responsibility now and that I need someone to take care of me. I don't want to be anyone's obligation and I need to be able to take care of myself. It's one of the reasons I wanted a fresh start," she explained.

"Understandable," Ranger said.

"I'm glad you think so, because I'm going to need your help. All of your help," she said looking around at the four of us.

I glanced around at my partners. I know, just like me, they would do anything they could to help her.


	30. Chapter 30

JE- owns everything you recognize

No Beta- mistakes are my own.

Chapter 30

Lester's POV

The partners were sitting in Keira's apartment a little shell shocked after meeting Keira's ex-fiance and listening to the voicemail from her mother.

"Whatever you need Quierda, we'll be there," I said.

The other guys nodded.

"I don't like to admit it, but I pretty much hit rock bottom when I left Washington. I lost my fiancé, my family and I weren't speaking, all of my friends were also Mark's friends so I left without telling them and I took a job in Trenton which had no potential for growth just so I could escape. I was basically resigned to doing this on my own but then Bobby called. I thought I was getting another job with better benefits, I never thought I would end up with friends, a support system, hell, I even got a boyfriend out of it for a little while. I'm not ready to give up. I turn thirty in seven months; I want to turn thirty as a healthy person. I need to get back in shape, I need to put on weight in the correct way, I've also been putting off some things which can't be put off any longer," Keira said as she stood up and went to her bedroom to retrieve something.

She returned with an envelope and handed an envelope to Bobby. Bobby wordlessly took the envelope and pulled out the paper and began to read. "Shit," he said. "When did you get this test done?" he asked.

"Before I left Washington. I moved before I got the results," she explained.

I was on pins and needles. "What is it?" I demanded. _Please don't let it be serious. _

"It's the results of a bone scan, she has osteopenia. It's like pre-osteoperosis," Bobby explained.

"It's from the prednisone. I also got my blood work back and I'm really deficient in B12 and vitamin D which is not going to help with the osteopenia," Keira explained.

Bobby shifted uncomfortably. "I don't want to be the one to tell you this but you should know that they removed your terminal ileum in the surgery," Bobby explained.

"I know," Keira said in confusion.

"The terminal ileum is where most of your vitamin D is absorbed," Bobby explained.

Keira's face fell. "You're kidding me. So I have to find a way to absorb vitamin D without the part of my intestines that absorbs it?" she said.

"This can be fixed. We need you to see an endocrinologist. Let me find one for you. I know all the doctors at St. Francis, I can get a great recommendation," Bobby said.

Keira let out a breath and nodded. "Thank you. I'm ready to begin fixing my problems instead of running from them. Apparently, they catch up with you. Mark taught me that one," she said with a wry smile.

"Ella, can work with you on cooking once Bobby gives her some nutritional guidelines," Ranger offered.

"We can get the guys to work out with you as well. Bobby just has to let them know what you can and can't handle. I know they'll all want to help," Tank said.

"I'll be there for you every step of the way," I said.

"Thank you; I appreciate your support. I'm really tired of getting my ass kicked. I want to be in control of my life and my body. They removed so much of the problem in the surgery that now I just need to get the disease under control. I'm ready for this and I really think I can do it," she said as she smiled at all of us.

I think we were all slightly taken aback about how positive Keira was being after all that happened but it was nice to see. She was a fighter and I liked the look I saw in her eyes. She was ready to do battle. She looked fucking sexy. _Bad Santos! I am her friend right now. I will not push myself on her. I should talk to Bobby about when she's going to be clear for sexual activity…just in case she comes on to me. _

Bobby and I ended up staying and preparing dinner for Keira. We talked a lot about nutrition and Bobby offered to go to the grocery store with Keira tomorrow so they could pick up some more things. We finished up dinner and Bobby said good night by giving Keira a kiss on her forehead.

Once Bobby left, I slowly walked towards Keira and touched the side of her face where that asshole hit her. She looked up at me with her large eyes and sighed as she leaned against my hand. Her cheek was still red and angry; she may have a mark tomorrow. I was wondering if we should tell the other guys because I was afraid they'd notice and flip out. I certainly would.

She slowly walked into my arms and I hugged her tightly. I know that just being with me was a comfort to her. She felt safe with me. This was something new for me.

Women really like me. Actually, I'll be honest, women _love_ me. They use me for all sorts of things, sex, money, attention, affection but I don't think a woman has ever used me for comfort, except Keira. I wish she knew how much it meant to me that she felt safe with me. Women don't feel safe with me; women _shouldn't_ feel safe with me. I've only ever wanted one thing from them. I don't know why it was so different with Keira, but it was.

Keira was melting against me and I was enjoying just holding her when her apartment door flew open. In walked Vince, Ram, Manny, Zero, Cal, Hal and Hector. Keira groaned when she saw them. I felt like doing the same.

"Is it true?" demanded Vince.

Keira sighed, "What part?"

"Your ex-fiance came here and hit you?" growled Cal.

"There are no secrets at RangeMan. You guys make fifteen year old girls look cagey," Keira grumbled.

"Answer us, Morgan," commanded Ram.

"Relax, will you please?" Keira said as she gestured them to sit down.

Some of the guys sat while others leaned against the wall in a somewhat "relaxed" position. Keira went through the story and explanation. She told the guys that she knew Mark was going to hit her and let him.

"Why?" asked Hal.

Keira shrugged. "I suppose it was a little guilt on my part. I left without even a note and then I lied about being pregnant. I just wanted it to be over between us. Really over. When he hit me, it definitely felt over and I feel relieved," she explained.

"I still want to teach him a lesson on respect for women," growled Vince.

The other guys mumbled their agreements.

"That's not what I need from you. Let it go, I handled it the way I wanted to handle it. Please respect that," Keira said firmly, she also sounded a little exasperated. She still wasn't used to the way we were all in each other's business.

"Are you okay? Don't lie to us, that's some heavy shit that you went through," said Manny.

"Listen, I'm going draw a hot bath, put on same Taylor Swift and have a good cry. I would binge on ice cream and wine but that's off my approved food list for now. I've fine, I'd just like to have a quiet evening letting Taylor Swift's teenage lyrics soothe my soul," Keira said.

"I think Taylor Swift's in her twenties," offered Hal.

"Well, you wouldn't know it by her songs. As fun as this discussion is, I'd really like a little quiet. I really appreciate all of your concern, but trust me, if I need help, I'll ask for it," Keira pleaded.

The guys all grumbled but finally left. "You too. I need some time alone," Keira said to me.

It was time. I couldn't but it off anymore. I let out a breath. "I think we need to talk," I said.

Keira looked confused by nodded. I took her hand and let her to couch. I gently sat her down and pulled her into my arms.

"There are things that you should probably know. After watching what happened with Mark today, I realize I wasn't being completely fair to you," I said as I took another deep breath. _This was going to SUCK. _

The first thing I did was tell her the truth about the night at O'Brien's. How I kissed the woman back at first but I realized I could never follow through with it because I loved her. I told her about Alice and how angry she was on her behalf.

"I guess that explains why she's been avoiding me. Why are you telling me all this?" Keira asked with a sigh.

"I love you. I never stopped loving you. I don't want any more secrets between us," I admitted.

"Thanks for being honest with me. It hurts, but I guess I'm glad we talked about it," she said.

"I wish I could say that was everything," I said.

Keira pulled away from me and looked at me with suspicion and maybe a little fear.

I told Keira everything. All about Fletcher Cohen, how dangerous he was, his obsession with her, how we were afraid it was going to get worse and the need to get the tracker in her car.

"The first night we met…was a set up?" she asked slowly. I could see the shock and hurt in her eyes.

"Listen Keira, I needed Matty to introduce us so I could plant the tracker. Taking you home was never part of the original plan! When I saw you I was immediately attracted to you and then I heard you speaking to Warren…there was just something about you. I never brought a woman back to my house before you. You are the only one. I knew from the moment I met you that you were special and different," I explained desperately.

"You expect me to believe that? I may be a little naive and I clearly don't have as much experience with the opposite sex as you do but that's such bullshit!" Keira exclaimed.

"Before I met you, I was hooking up with any woman that was willing! I admit that! I was in love with Stephanie who was marrying my cousin, the only way I thought I could move on was to fuck my way through it!" I said.

Keira froze. "You're in love with Stephanie?" she said as her face fell.

"No!" I shouted. "I was. At least I thought I was and then I met you. You saved me, don't you see that?" I asked.

"I don't even know what to say right now. Don't _you_ see? You just replaced her with me," Keira said as tears began leaking down her face.

"I thought that too, at first Keira, but it's not like that! She came back and I didn't feel the same way about her. I realized that I got over her by falling in love with you," I said as I tried to grab her and pull her to me.

She dodged my hands. "You had to tell me all this now?" she whispered. "I don't know what to believe or think. The fact that you all knew who I was before I started working here and had planted a tracker in my car and none of you told me? You slept with me for a job! Do all the guys know that? I know I thought it was just a hookup but this feels so wrong. And to know you were in love with someone else; someone who is now one of my closest friends? This is all too much to handle tonight. I just had the first man I ever loved slap me across the face and now I have the only other man I've ever loved tell me that he seduced me for a job," she said with a shake of her head as tears continued silently streaming down her cheeks.

"Please leave," she begged as she slowly closed her eyes.

"Keira, I love you. I'll give you space but know that even though it started out as a job, I really fell in love with you. I should've told you sooner but there was just so much other stuff going on," I pleaded.

Her large eyes just locked onto mine and I could see the hurt in them. I felt my chest tighten. I wanted to be honest with her. I needed to be, we could never really be together with all the secrets and lies hanging over us. I just wish it hadn't hurt her so much.

I slowly walked out of her apartment, closing the door behind me. _She has to forgive me. She just has too. _


	31. Chapter 31

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No Beta- All mistakes are my own.

Thanks for all the support for my Lester story! I appreciate every single review! =)

Chapter 31

Lester's POV

Keira's been avoiding me. I was trying to respect her need for space but it was hard to stay away from her. She was spending most of her time with Bobby, Steph, Cal, Manny, Ram and Vince. She was rarely seen without at least one of them. I wondered if they knew what was going on between us and I finally grew some balls and asked Bobby about it.

We were in the medic's office shooting the shit like we always do and I just couldn't keep it in any longer.

"How is she?" I finally asked.

"She's getting a little stronger every day. She's really determined. We're about to up her exercise regime since it'll be six weeks since the surgery. I'm planning on putting her on a rotation with all the guys. I was planning on including you," Bobby said.

"I want to be there to help her, if she'll let me," I said.

Bobby sighed. "Listen, what you don't seem to realize is that Keira was ridiculously insecure after everything with her fiancé and parents. I know she puts on a good show, but the truth is man, she has no confidence. Then you went all 'truth fairy' on her and told her about your feelings for Stephanie and that the only reason you talked to her was to plant a tracker on her. She freaked when she thought all the guys knew, I reassured her that I was the only one who knew the whole story and she had no reason to feel embarrassed. Have you not noticed how self-conscious she is since the surgery?" Bobby asked.

"Keira's a lot of things, but self-conscious isn't one of them. She's smart, strong and damn sexy and she knows it. It's one of the things I love about her," I argued.

Bobby shook his head. "Dude, you are so fucking clueless. I thought I didn't get women. Let me attempt to break this down for you. Before surgery, Keira's body was smoking hot. We all checked her out daily. She'd bend over in those tight little skirts and I swear half the guys would be about to bust through their cargos," Bobby explained.

"Watch it man. That's my woman you're talking about," I growled.

"Let me get to the point. She was sexy as all hell and had this flirty sarcastic personality. Steph was gone and she became our eye candy. I know half the guys were a little in love, just like it was with Steph. She had this confidence and spark. After the surgery, her body has changed dramatically. She lost a lot of muscle mass. She's also really hung up on her scars. And now, she's lost her edge," Bobby pointed out.

"Her scars?" I asked quizzically.

"Yeah, I've been taking her to the pool and she swims with a tank top on over her suit. I asked her if I could look at her scars and she got really uncomfortable. I finally got her to admit that she's struggling with how she looks right now. On top of all that, her ex shows up and brings back up all shit about her not being good enough because she's sick, her parents are constantly shitting on her, telling her she'll never find someone, then you drop the 'oh by the way, the only reason I first hit on you was for a job and I was completely in love with a woman who's now your best friend' bomb. Not your best move man. She's a walking open wound and you threw a fuck load of salt on her," Bobby explained.

"Ahhh," I groaned. "Why do I keep shooting myself is the fucking foot? I just wanted to be honest; I didn't want any more bullshit between us. This would be so much easier if she were a dude. She would've punched me in the face and we'd be over it by now," I said.

"Yep, and you'd also be playing on Hector's team," Bobby pointed out.

"I don't understand how people say being gay is a choice; if I had a choice, I'd be gay. Dudes are so much easier. Women are fucking bat shit crazy," I said.

"Amen and Keria's one of the more reasonable ones. But look on the bright side, they have boobs and vaginas," Bobby said.

"My two favorite things," I lamented. "How the fuck do I make this right? I still think she's sexy, I don't care about the scars or the weight loss. She's working on being healthy, that's all that matters," I said.

"Dude, I know that. You know that. Most of the guys would still hit it. But she _feels_ unattractive. You gotta make her feel good about herself," Bobby suggested.

"How the hell do I do that?" I asked as I ran my hand through my hair.

"Who the fuck do I look like? Dr. Phil? Figure your own shit out. I'm going to Keira's remicade appointment with her," Bobby said as he stood up to grab his keys.

"Hold up! I'm coming," I said as I jumped up to follow.

Keira was waiting in the garage for Bobby.

"Hey, umm you look really beautiful today," I stumbled as I approached her.

Keira's eyebrows raised in confusion and she glanced down at her RangeMan sweatpants and t-shirt. "What's with him?" she asked Bobby.

"Uhh…he's just coming with us," Bobby explained as he shot me a look that told me what I just said was stupid.

"Okaaay," Keira said slowly with a shake of her head.

We got to the hospital and Keira was hooked up to the remicade reading a magazine while I attempted awkward conversation with her.

"So, how've you been?" I asked her.

"Fine. You?" she responded without looking up.

"Ahh. Good. My mom's been asking about you. She's desperate to feed you," I said trying to give her a smile.

"That's really nice. Does she know we're not together?" Keira asked.

_Shit. _"Not exactly. She'd probably beat me with her wooden spoon if she found out that I fucked this up," I said sincerely.

Keira let out a small laugh. "I'd actually pay to see your little mother chasing you around the kitchen, trying to whack you with a spoon," she said.

"Don't laugh. The last time she did it was two years ago," I said. Some chick claimed I got her pregnant. It turned out to be a lie, which of course I knew because we used a condom, but that didn't stop my mother from whacking me upside the head and calling me a slut.

"Do I even want to know what you did?" she asked. Bobby shot me a warning look. He knew the story.

"Probably not," I admitted.

Keira put a hand to her chest. "What's wrong?" Bobby asked sitting up.

"It just got weirdly hard to breath," she said. Her body began turning bright red all over and Keira gasped as she struggled for air.

"Nurse!" I yelled in a panic.

"She's having a reaction. Get Benadryl and Prednisone!" Bobby commanded.

The nurses scattered as Keira gasped for air. A nurse ran over and injected something into her and within second Keira's color began to return to normal and her breathing evened. Keira's hand went to her stomach. "I'm going to be sick," she said. Bobby quickly grabbed a plastic tub and handed it to Keira just in time for her to vomit.

"That happens with the prednisone," the nurse explained as she gently rubbed Keira's back.

"What the hell happened?" Keira asked.

"How long has it been since your last treatment?" the nurse asked.

"Almost six months ago," Keira said.

"You may have developed antibodies. That happens with these types of treatments when you go off of them too long," she explained gently.

"That can't be good," Keira said.

"No honey, I'm going to call your GI's office. They're going to want me to draw some blood, you're going to need lab work," the nurse said.

Keira sighed and nodded. The nurse came back and took blood and then Keira was released. "You're going to feel pretty terrible tomorrow. Make sure you get some rest," the nurse said as Keira left.

"How do you feel?" asked Bobby.

"Like someone beat that absolute shit out of me. My muscles hurt, which is slightly bizarre considering I barely have any," Keira explained.

We took Keira back to her apartment and Bobby gave her a slight stronger pain killer and got her into bed.

I went to check on her the next day and found her in her office. She just hung up the phone and to my surprise she picked the phone back up and began slamming it down over and over again in frustration. She then batted the coffee mug off her desk which went flying across the room.

"Uh…Keira?" I said tentatively.

She looked up and saw me. "Shit," she cursed quietly. She looked exhausted and stressed.

"You okay?" I asked as I slowly entered her office.

"Not really. I look like shit, I feel like shit, my doctor just told me that I developed antibodies and I can no longer be on remicade and I have to find another treatment and my super hot ex-boyfriend just caught me having a temper tantrum. So yeah, not okay," she said.

"You think I'm hot?" I said as a slow smile spread across my face.

Keira groaned and banged her head on her desk.

I chuckled and walked around her desk and pulled her out of her chair. "Come with me," I said.

"Lester, I feel like I've been beaten with a baseball bat, it's not exactly a turn on for me. I'm really not in the mood for a pity fuck," Keira said.

I chuckled again. "I've had sex for a thousand reasons but never out of pity. Baby, any time you want me, I'm more than willing but that's not what I was thinking. Just trust me and come with me," I said.

I led Keira down to the basement. "I know we haven't been on the best of terms but is it really necessary to murder me and throw my body into an alley?" she asked sounding slightly nervous.

"If I was going to murder you it wouldn't be on company grounds; that's just unprofessional," I said back. I unlocked the door to the gun range. "Ever shoot?" I asked her.

Keira's eyes went wide. "I've never even held a gun before," she admitted.

"Well, you're working here. Maybe it's time to learn," I suggested. Keira cringed slightly. "Honey, I got you. Just trust me," I said gently.

Keira bit on the inside of her cheek and nodded. I selected a small hand gun for her and taught her how to load it, unload it and use the safety. She was really nervous holding it. I set her up on the range and gently showed her how to stand. She was shaking slightly.

"Breath, Quierda. Now raise the gun," I said as I gently wrapped my arms around her and raised her arms. I placed my hands on hers and whispered, "Shoot," in to her ear.

She pulled the trigger and then let out a yelp while jumping back slightly into me. I caught her easily. "Holy shit!" she said. "I can't believe I just did that," she said as she caught her breath.

"How did it feel?" I asked.

"Surprisingly good. I never thought I would like shooting a gun," she explained.

"You've been given a lot of bad news lately; I figured you needed to blow off some steam," I said.

Keira relaxed a little bit. "Thanks," she said shyly.

Keira continued to shoot for the next hour. I continued helping her; I may have just been using it as an excuse to keep touching her. She didn't object and actually seemed content to have my arms around her so I think we're moving in the right direction.

I walked Keria back to her apartment. "Thanks for today, Les. I really thought I was losing it," she said with a small smile.

"Well, I may have had an ulterior motive," I explained as I smiled back at her.

"Oh yeah?" she asked me as she raised her eyebrows.

"I always knew you'd look sexy holding a gun. You just made one of my fantasies come true," I whispered hotly in her ear.

She stiffened and I realized she was holding her breath. I grabbed her and kissed her deeply. She moaned and returned my kiss. I wrapped my arms around her holding her tightly against me. I broke the kiss and looked deep into her eyes. "You don't know what you do to me," I mumbled against her lips as I brushed them again with mine.

I broke away from her and kissed her forehead. "Have a good night, Gorgeous," I said.

Keira just stared after me in complete confusion.

I think I just figured out how to make Keira feel good about herself again and it was going to be fun.


	32. Chapter 32

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.

No beta-mistakes are my own.

Thanks for those who are taking the time to read and review! I really appreciate all the feed back!

Chapter 32

Lester's POV

Keira met with an endocrinologist who prescribed her some special faster absorbing Vitamin D and B12 shots. She's also increased her calcium and Vitamin D intake by drinking soy milk, eating low fat yogurt, broccoli and spinach. She was incredibly serious about this and was really taking the bull by the horns. I was proud of her.

I made sure to help her out by making her smoothies and lattes with soy milk and leaving them on her desk for her. She came by my office one morning to thank me.

"So you're my smoothie and latte fairy? I thought it was Ella at first," she said as she strolled in.

"Well, I thought I needed to make up for being the 'truth fairy' as Bobby calls it," I explained as I stood up and walked around my desk.

"I admit, I may like this fairy better but I can't be mad at someone for being honest…can I?" she asked.

"I think you can always be mad, it just might not be reasonable," I said.

"Well, I can't have people thinking I'm unreasonable," she said.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" I asked as I moved closer to her, Keira slowly backed away until her ass hit the wall behind her and I was standing over her.

"There's nothing to forgive in terms of you being honest with me. The problem was you never telling me the truth about how we first met before we started a relationship. Now, I'm feeling confused," she explained softly as I placed my hands on the wall beside her face and got closer.

"Well, let me clarify how I really feel," I said as I gently placed my lips on hers. She stiffened at first but began responding to my kiss and it wasn't long before I had her completely pinned against the wall as I held her tightly against me. She was beginning to moan and I was thinking about turning off the security camera. My brain finally kicked in and reminded me that I had a long term goal here and sex before Keira was emotionally ready would not help me. _Fuck, women are complicated!_

I broke the kiss and smiled down at Keira. I dropped a kiss on her forehead, told her to have a nice day and left my office. I quickly adjusted my erection to keep it hidden.

My goal was simple: Keira was going to be mine. No more bullshit, no more of her running away from me, we were going to be together. I've never in my life felt this way about a woman and I sure as shit wasn't going to lose her. I knew if I pushed too much too soon it would blow up in my face, so I was slowly turning up the heat on Ms. Morgan.

I've been slowly becoming more affectionate with Keira. I tried to start with some light kisses and some hugs goodbye. I was trying to spend as much time with her as I could. I stopped by her office several times a day, I'd convince her to have dinner with me, we'd watch movies and if I was lucky she'd fall asleep and I would carry her to bed and stay over.

Sleeping next to her without trying anything is torture. I don't know the last time I've gone this long without sex. Keira will roll over in the middle of the night and throw her leg over mine and cuddle to my chest. Normally, I love this position but now it wakes me up and I find myself focusing way too much on what her body feels like and then I spend the rest of the night staring at the ceiling trying to focus on baseball statistics.

Keira also was being set up with a new treatment plan. She's going to start on Humira, which is a shot which she'll have to inject herself with every other week in her stomach or thigh. She didn't love this so Bobby offered to be the one to inject her. To our surprise, she refused. She said that even though she didn't like it, it was important that she handle it herself. A nurse would be coming by to show Keira and Bobby how the Humira needed to be injected.

I walked into Keira's apartment a few days later. She was sitting on the couch with Bobby while a pretty Filipino nurse was instructing them about how to store, check and use the medication. Keira was listening intently and Bobby was just staring at the nurse. I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth. Bobby Brown may have a little crush.

"I'm sorry," Keira said interrupting the nurse. "Marta, this is Lester Santos. He's a good friend of mine and wanted to be present. Is that alright?" Keira asked Marta.

"Of course! You're very lucky to have so much support, especially from such attractive men," Marta smiled as she glanced at Bobby, who was grinning like an idiot back at her.

Keira raised her eyebrows and smirked at me. "Alright Keira, you're going to receive four shots today. They're painful. Then you'll do two shots in two weeks and then your maintenance is one shot every other week. So today will be the worst of it. Okay?" Marta said.

Keira took a breath and nodded. "Let's do this," she said with a nod. Marta demonstrated how to inject the drug, it looked like a simple push of a button but then you had to hold down the button and keep the pen firmly placed on the skin for about ten seconds.

Keira's jaw was clenched during the first injection her thigh.

"How was it?" asked Marta.

"Hurts like a bitch," Keira admitted.

"I know, but you're doing great," Marta encouraged. Marta did the next injection in Keira's stomach. Before she did it, Keira asked Bobby and me to turn around. I wanted to argue with her but Bobby shot me a look, letting me know now was not the time.

Keira then gave herself the other two shots with Marta's supervision.

"How do you feel?" Marta asked Keira.

"Sore, but I'm alright," Keira said.

Marta waited thirty minutes to see if Keira was going to have a reaction. When she didn't she announced that she was leaving. Keira thanked her and then told us she was feeling tired. "Les, do you mind coming to lay down with me? Bobby, could you walk Marta out?" Keira asked us.

"Sure," Bobby answered as he smiled at Marta.

"Of course, Gorgeous. Come on," I said helping her up and walking her to the bedroom. "Did you really want me to lay with you or are you giving Bobby a chance to hit on Marta?" I asked quietly.

Keira shrugged. "Maybe a little of both," she answered.

"I'll take it," I said as I gently pulled her into my arms and laid us on the bed.

"This is not an invitation for sex. Just so we're clear," Keira said.

"I didn't think it was, but I certainly wouldn't be opposed if you changed your mind," I said as I ran a finger down Keira's cheek then tilted her chin up so I could kiss her lightly. She's been letting get away more and more affection. I don't know what you'd call our relationship at this point. We kiss, cuddle, sleep together occasionally (not sexually unfortunately) and hang out a lot, but there is no sex and no talk of us getting back together. We're also not seeing other people. _Shit, we're turning into Steph and Ranger before they finally got their acts together._

I began casually playing with Keira's golden hair. "Do you know what I thought about when I first saw you?" I asked her.

"What an easy mark I looked like? How I would totally fall for your lines?" she snorted.

"Not even close. I noticed the way you walked. It was authoritative and not showy like most attractive women's. It was like you weren't going to acknowledge how beautiful you are," I explained.

"It's creepy to think about you watching and listening to everything I was saying to Warren and I never had any idea," she said.

"I know it's strange. I think I fell for you just by listening to your conversation. You were clever, funny and confident. You have a way of being so unbelievably sexy without trying," I explained as I nuzzled her neck. "That's when I knew I was going to hit on you and that I wanted to take you home," I whispered seductively in her ear.

Keira rolled her eyes. "That is unbelievably romantic," Keira said sarcastically.

"Alright, Hot Shot, what did you think about me when we first met?" I asked.

"I thought what any woman in my position would've thought. You're way out of my league but you're hitting on me, so something must be wrong with you," she said with a laugh. "I was completely intimidated, I wanted to kill Matty when I saw you start to walk towards me," she admitted.

"You made it clear when I sat down that you did _not_ want to talk to me," I laughed. "Why did you agree to come home with me?" I asked.

She sighed. "I was lonely, my confidence was shot to shit, and there was an incredibly attractive guy offering to make my come multiple times and is going to let me use his awesome shower. I also thought there was no way a guy like you would really be serious in a girl like me so I figured I was safe. One night to be completely selfish with no entanglements or attachments," she said.

"Wow, you fucked that up," I chuckled.

"_I_ didn't fuck anything up. _You _did. You barged into my life uninvited and you refuse to leave, no matter how many times I yell, beg and plead," she said.

"Yep and I'm still not going anywhere. I'm not trying to push you or rush you but do you think you'll ever be able to let go of all that shit?" I asked her.

She took a deep breath. "I am getting past it. I'm just so overwhelmed with everything right now. I'm not sure I can handle anymore drama and for some reason our relationship always feels dramatic and I don't know if I'm capable of handling it right now," she said quietly.

I sighed. I didn't want to admit it but she was right. Between her illness, my getting shot, the hospital stays, the no eating, my momentary lapse of judgment, her ex-fiancé and my "truth fairy" moment, we've been on a bit of an exhausting rollercoaster.

"Can you do me a favor? Tell me about you and Stephanie," she said as she cuddled closer to my chest.

"You really wanna hear about this?" I asked in confusion.

"I do, I know nothing ever happened between you but I'm still curious and I want to understand," she said.

_Hooray for honesty. _

I sighed. "Ranger was Steph's mentor, long before she started working here. I met her on a job, she was scared shitless and nervous as all hell but she went with it. She also treated Bobby, Tank and I just like regular guys. She wasn't scared of us and she wasn't trying to hit on us. It was nice. Once she started working here we got closer. There was never any judgment about what we did, she never even thought about using any of us for our money, she was the first woman besides our families that really wanted to get to know all of us as people and treated us as such. I wasn't the only one who fell for her; I think we all did in our own way. I was just closer to her then a lot of the other guys and kinda got sucked in. But no matter what, she was always Ranger's, even when they weren't together, she was always Ranger's. Does that make sense?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I think understand that," she said as her eyes met mine. I guess she does. All the guys still consider Keira mine even after I completely screwed up. Hell, I still consider Keira mine.

"I never thought I could meet someone that was as open to us as she was, until you came along. I knew you were something special that first night when I brought up being a mercenary and that actually calmed you down," I chuckled. "You weren't fazed by it. I also brought you to my townhouse and you didn't spend any time trying to figure out how much money I had. You didn't seem to notice or care," I said as I kissed her forehead.

"That's because my mind was on other things," she laughed.

"I've never felt a connection to anyone the way I feel connected to you. I know you feel like you're putting me in a position that I_ have_ to take care of you and be there for you. But you don't seem to understand that I _want _to be there for you and I _want _take care of you. It drove me crazy those three weeks of not being able to see you and knowing that other guys were fulfilling your needs. They were the ones comforting you, making you laugh and being there for you. I hated it," I admitted.

"I love that you're there for me, but I hope you understand why it's so important to me that I'm able to take care of myself. I don't want to feel dependent on anyone. I need to be able to stand on my own two feet," she said.

"I get it, which is why I'm not pushing to take things further right now," I said as I ran my hand down her side and across her ribs. "We have this habit of jumping straight to the physical," I said as I began kissing her neck.

Keira shivered. "You really need to stop tormenting me then," she whispered.

"No way, Quierda. If I'm going to suffer through this so are you," I said. I kissed her deeply. She moaned and I was on the verge of losing control while listening to her. I gently broke away and looked into her eyes and was happy to see them dark with desire.

"Come on Baby, let's get out of your bedroom before something bad happens," I said as I rolled away from her.

"Define bad," Keira grumbled as she pulled herself out of bed.

Looks like the two of us are going to be sexually frustrated for awhile, but at least we'll be frustrated together. Between the two of us, we have plenty of self control…right?


	33. Chapter 33

A/N - JE owns everything you recognize

No Beta- mistakes are mine and mine alone.

Thanks for all the reviews! They mean a lot to me. Let me know what you think, this story will be wrapping up shortly!

Chapter 33

Lester's POV

I've become Keira's personal health coach. She didn't ask me, I didn't offer, I just assumed the role. I'd go down and still do my morning workout and then around 0700 I'd walk up to Keira's apartment and she'd be ready to work out. I'd bring her to the gym and we'd work on yoga, pilates or some resistance work. Keira has been cleared to lift but she was too weak to do any substantial weight lifting so Bobby's been having her work with resistance bands and her own body weight. She just started doing girl push-ups.

I'd work out beside her and whoever she was supposed to be working with that day. After about an hour, we'd head back up to her place where she'd eat breakfast, usually yogurt and a piece of fruit and I'd leave her to get ready. I would drop off a latte or smoothie to her office before heading out to pick up FTAs with Bobby. This started out with a casual goodbye kiss on the lips but has gradually evolved into full on makeout sessions with some serious groping (I admit that most of the groping is done by me, but it's not like she's complaining).

I'd back by her office around 1700 hours and we'd either go running or go to a spin class. Keira still wasn't in her top form yet and would struggle to get through the class but she was getting a little stronger each time. We'd go back home and shower then meet back up for dinner. It was always chicken or fish with lots of cooked green vegetables. There would be more kissing, more groping which would promptly lead to more cold showers and lots of cursing.

Tonight was a big night for Keira; it was going to be her first forage into the world of red meat again. She was finally allowed steak and was very excited. Bobby and I decided to throw a little barbeque at my place to celebrate. It was summer and the weather was supposed to be perfect.

Keira, Bobby and I were currently at the grocery story shopping for tonight. Keira was giddy, bouncing on her toes in anticipation. I thought she looked incredibly cute and I loved watching her large eyes go wider as we approached the meat counter. Bobby sensing her excitement threw his arm around her and gave her a quick kiss on the head.

"How long has it's been?" asked Bobby with a laugh.

"Over eight months, I'm really excited," Keira said.

"We can all tell, Baby," I laughed as Keira looked thoughtfully at the selection. Bobby made sure to pick up leaner cuts because Keira still could have issues with animal fats. We grabbed a bunch of vegetables and were now looking at beer. Keira was staring at it longingly.

"Few more weeks, Sweetheart. We'll start you off slow with like a half glass of wine," Bobby said. "You're going to surprised how quickly you'll be hammered," Bobby explained.

"I hope you don't mind holding hair back," Keira said looking at me.

"Not at all, that's why I learned how to do your hair in the hospital. I can have your hair in a pony tail in less than 30 seconds, then you can vomit as much as you need too" I said grinning at her.

She lightly hit me in the arm, or it could've been hard, she still doesn't have much upper body strength. Bobby and I were picking out beer when a familiar figure began approaching Keira. I looked up and saw Detective Morelli.

"Ms. Morgan, it's been awhile. How've you been?" he asked as he approached Keira.

"Fine, Detective. Thanks for asking," Keira smiled back. _Why the hell is she smiling?_

"You sure? You're looking a little lean. I hope that wasn't on purpose," Morelli said as his eyes ran up and down Keira's body. I felt an urge to go over to Morelli and take one of the beer bottles from the six-pack he was holding and crack it across his fucking face.

"I've been ill. I'm actually here with Bobby and Lester picking up food for a barbeque. They've both been helping me put on weight in the right way," Keira said gesturing toward Bobby and me.

Bobby gave Morelli a friendly wave as he loaded up beer. I nodded my acknowledgment.

"Are you alright?" Morelli asked her as he took a step closer to her. I also may have taken a step closer to them.

"Much better, well on my way to recovered," Keira

"I didn't realize you guys became friends," he said casually gazing at Bobby and me.

"That…incident at my apartment was actually the first time I met Bobby. He contacted me a few weeks later and asked me to apply for the Office Administrator position at RangeMan and the rest is history," she explained.

"Ah, you're working at RangeMan. Well congratulations, I hope that got you out of that apartment," Morelli said.

"It did. Thanks," Keira replied.

"Listen, I've had the habit of dating women who can't cook and it's forced me to learn. I make a mean red sauce and you look like you could use a good meal. Why don't I cook for you some night?" Morelli suggested.

Keira's mouth fell open. "Umm. Thanks. It's just… Well, I'm concentrating… I just…"Keira stumbled.

Morelli gave her a smile and reached into his coat pocket. "Here's my card. Call me when you're ready," Morelli said as his voice became deeper.

Keira just sat there with her mouth hanging open in confusion as she held Morelli's card.

"Cute," Morelli commented as he grinned at how stunned Keira was. He leaned in and kissed her cheek and walked past Bobby and me. "Gentlemen," he nodded to Bobby and me. I felt an angry growl escape my throat and Bobby grabbed my arm before I could do anything stupid.

Keira spun around and faced us. "What the hell just happened?" she asked in shocked.

Bobby chuckled. "Looks like Morelli just hit on you," Bobby explained.

"He said it looks like I could use a good meal. That's a come on?" Keira asked. "He wasn't telling me I looked bad?"

_Christ, she's going to be the death of me. _

"Keira, I can guarantee that guy was not thinking you looked bad. He was thinking about getting you back to his place probably wants to prove to you how _not_ bad you look," Bobby said with a grin.

Keira looked flustered and confused. I stalked over to her, took her face in my hands and kissed her mouth. I slipped my tongue past her lips and held her to me for a moment. I broke the kiss and looked in Keira's eyes. "Don't even think about it. I don't want to have to kill a cop," I whispered.

"Why don't you just tattoo 'Lester's' on her?" Bobby asked.

"I would if she'd let me," I answered as I threw my arm around a now glaring Keira.

We went back to my place where Bobby, Keira and I spend the rest of the afternoon preparing food and setting up my deck and pool area.

Keira went upstairs to my bedroom to use my bathroom to get ready while Bobby took the guest room and I used the bathroom downstairs. I headed back to my room in a towel so I could get dressed. Keira was just slipping on her sandals when I came in. Her golden hair was pulled back from her face, her make-up was light and fresh, she was wearing a new sleeveless red dress which stopped several inches above her knees. She looked stunning and I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I wasn't the only one staring. Keira's eyes traveled over my chest and abs and then back up to my face. I sucked in a breath as I tried to compose myself. All I wanted to do was grab her and take her. She was so beautiful and she should be mine. I moved slowly and cautiously towards her. I ran my thumb down her face and slowly lowered my mouth to hers.

Her kiss was at first tentative but gradually became something more. Her arms went around my neck and her tongue was in my mouth. My hands began exploring her body. I gently pushed her back on the bed, supporting my weight carefully as to not hurt her.

My hand was sliding up her lovely thigh when the doorbell rang. "Son of a bitch!" I groaned into Keira's neck. She laughed softly.

"I should probably go downstairs and greet them," Keira whispered.

"I'm going to need to jump in the shower again and make sure it's cold enough to freeze my fucking balls off," I moaned.

Keira leaned up and kissed me softly on the lips. "Sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be," I said as I nuzzled her neck and then climbed off her and pulled her to her feet. "Go help Bobby. I'll be done in ten minutes," I said as I kissed her forehead.

"Just ten?" she said as her eyes glanced down at my hard on.

"That'll take me less than a minute at this point," I said.

Keira giggled and then left the room. I took care of my "problem" and was cleaned up and downstairs in nine minutes (it took my all of 30 seconds to get off).

On the deck sipping beers and waters were Ranger, Steph, Marta, Hal, Hal's girlfriend Jenny, Vince, Ram, Tank, Lula, Hector, Hector's boyfriend Justin, Manny and Zero. Keira and Bobby were just bringing out snacks for everyone.

I said my hellos and Keira handed me a beer, I kissed her hand in thanks.

"So, how excited are you?" Marta asked Keira.

"I'm really excited. You should've seen me in the grocery story," Keira laughed.

"You really should've seen it. We also ran into Morelli and he hit on Keira. I thought Lester was going to pop a blood vessel," Bobby laughed.

"Really?" said Steph. "What did he say?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not sure he was really hitting on me. He just said something about how I could use a good meal and that I should let him cook for me sometime," Keira shrugged.

"He was definitely hitting on you! We used to go out, trust me! Offering to cook for you is a big deal. He must like you," Steph said with a grin.

I shot her a glare and she just smirked back at me.

"Leave Lester alone. I don't need him turning into a useless cranky bitch again," Tank said.

"When the hell was I a useless cranky bitch!" I demanded.

"Those three weeks when Polly Pocket refused to see you. The only time you weren't in a fog is when you were on the mats beating the shit out of all of us," Ram said.

"Yeah, Tinkerbelle, you better play nice with Santos, none of us want to take one of his moody beatings again. None of the newer guys would go anywhere near him!" Vince laughed.

Keira looked at me and walked over and slipped her arms around my waist, hugging me. My arms instinctively wrapper around her and kissed her hair. She was silently apologizing to me for causing me pain. I wish she wouldn't. I was the one who fucked up. She has this habit of blaming herself for other people's shortcomings. It irritates the fuck out of me.

Bobby and I fired up the grill while some of the guys went swimming and the girls were gathered around the tables chatting and catching up.

I went to the kitchen to grab some of the vegetables to throw on the grille. I was walking around the corner when I heard Keira and Marta talking in the kitchen. I shouldn't eavesdrop but I couldn't help it.

"You and Lester seem to be doing well, does this mean you're officially back together?" Marta asked. _Good fucking question, Marta. _

"We're getting really close again. I wouldn't call us back together. We haven't exactly had sex yet," Keira confessed.

"Are you guys doing other stuff?" Marta asked.

"Nothing more than kissing really. We get close but something always happens. Most of the time I think I freak out," she admitted.

"Why? What's going on? Is it because he kissed that other girl?" Marta asked. _Shit, is Keira still struggling with her trust issues with me? _"Sorry, Bobby told me," Marta confessed.

"It's fine. No, that's not it. I don't blame him for what happened. I was a mess at the time; we shouldn't have been together in the first place. It was never fair to him," Keira said.

"What about what's fair to you? I don't mean to be harsh and make a bigger deal out of a kiss then it is, but your boyfriend cheated on you. You're allowed to be hurt and have some bad feelings about that, even if you do forgive him and want to move on," Marta said.

Keira just shrugged.

"If it's not that then what's holding you back?" Marta asked.

"I'm scared he's going to be disappointed in how I look," Keira said quietly.

_What the fuck? Is she crazy? I love her body. _

"Keira, we've all seen the way he looks at you. I don't think that's possible," Marta said with a laugh.

"Lester is a walking hard on," Keira bluntly stated.

_That's only because we haven't had sex in six months!_

"Besides, he's remembering what I used to look like naked. I don't look like that anymore. My body is different, I've lost muscle, gained cellulite, not to mention two surgeries and the drains left with me some pretty nasty scars," Keira confessed.

_She's insane. She's so fucking hot and I don't give a shit about scars. Hell, I've got plenty of my own._

"I think you're being way too hard on yourself. You have a gorgeous body with or without the scars. I know they appear really harsh right now, but if you keep them out of the sun, they'll turn white in about a year from the surgery," Marta explained gently. "We can all see how much he loves you. Just try letting him in. Tell him how you're feeling," Marta suggested.

Keira sighed. "Maybe," she finally said. Marta hugged her and then I decided to make my appearance.

I walked around the corner. "What's going on ladies, need anything?" I asked.

"Nope, I was just getting another drink," Marta said as she grabbed a beer and then left the kitchen. She squeezed my shoulder as she walked by.

As soon as Marta was out of the room, I was on Keira. My mouth captured hers and my hands were all over her body, caressing, groping and feeling. I held her tightly to me. I began trailing kisses down her neck. "You're so beautiful. I can barely stand being around you without touching you," I mumbled.

"Les," Keira breathed. "We can't right now. Everyone is in the other room," she said as she tilted her head giving me better access to her neck.

"I know. I just wanted you to know how much I want you. I love you Keira. I'm ready for us to be together. You just need to be. It's all in your hands," I said as I slowly pulled away from her and caressed her face.

I kissed her softly once more on the lips then grabbed the vegetables I needed and headed back out to the deck.

_How does she not see that I would do anything for her and she's the one in control of our situation? I'm not sure if I want to shake the shit out of her or kiss her. Fucking women!_


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N - JE owns everything you recognize.**

**No beta-mistakes are my own.**

**Thanks for all the love and support for a Lester story, it means a lot to me.**

Chapter 34

Lester's POV

The rest of the barbeque was a lot of fun and drama free. Everyone ate and drank. Keira was in heaven eating her small portion of steak. A loud moan escaped her after her first bite. Stephanie turned and grinned and called Keira her kind of girl.

The barbeque wrapped up and Keira was the only one left and was helping me clean up. I ended up asking her to stay and spend the weekend with me, she was hesitant but I promised to behave myself (at least for that night) and she agreed.

The next morning I dragged Keira out for a run. We did a long run for her, about five miles, but I made sure we went really slow. We got back to the house and Keira did yoga while I lifted weights. I made us smoothies and we split a whole grain everything bagel. I also had an egg white omelet but Keira said she was way too full for more food.

We spent the afternoon in the pool. Keira was in a bikini with a tank top thrown over. I bit my tongue and just enjoyed the day with her. We showered and ate dinner. It was a pleasant and quiet day. I wanted Keira to be relaxed and comfortable before I confronted her.

I talked to Bobby and he agreed that after Keira handled the red meat so well she could have a half glass of wine. Keira was of course beyond excited. She was bouncing up in down in her little black sundress. I poured her half a glass of Syrah while I poured myself a full one. We went into the living room to relax.

"Go slow or Bobby will beat the shit out of me," I said sternly.

"Yes, sir," Keira said with a smile as she took her glass. She took a tiny sip and let out a contented sigh. I smiled at her.

I took a sip of my wine and gently pulled Keira into my arms once we settled on the couch. "I think we need to talk," I said calmly.

Keira groaned. "We've never had a good conversation that started out with that phrase. Are you breaking up with me?" she asked.

"I can't break up with you, Quierda. You're the one who keeps saying we're not together," I pointed out with a smile.

Keira sighed. "What do we need to talk about?" she finally asked.

"I overheard your conversation with Marta yesterday," I explained.

Keira stiffened. "These are my issues Les. I promise, I'm working on them," she said quietly.

"I know, I'm just planning to help," I said as I got up and removed my shirt and then dropped my shorts, so I was just standing in my boxers.

"By making me feel inadequate in comparison?" Keira asked as her eyes ran over my body.

"No. Stand up," I commanded. To my surprise Keira complied. I took her hand and brought it to my left shoulder. "See that mark? That was where I took a bullet in Afghanistan," I explained. I turned around and showed her my lower back. "That large scar is from a knife on a takedown, fucker got me good," I said. I put my right leg on the coffee table and pointed to the long scar running down the outside of my thigh. "That's from shrapnel from an IED. It happened when I was overseas," I said. I tilted my head to the side and pushed back the hair on my left side, showing another scar. "And this one is where I hit my head on the corner of the coffee table when I was eight while I was wrestling my brother," I said with a grin. "I have plenty of other small ones, but those are the biggest. Do you see me any differently then you did before?" I asked her.

"Of course not! Lester, you could have a giant scare running straight across your face and you'd still be the most gorgeous man I've ever laid eyes on. Besides, the scars show what you've been through, they add character and are kinda hot," Keira said with a wry grin.

I reached for the hem of Keira's black sundress and slowly pulled it up exposing her stomach and the angry purple scars. "Then why do you think that I would look at you any differently? Why does everyone else deserve different treatment then you?" I asked her as I slowly bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her surgical scar.

"I don't know what you mean," she said as she backed away from me.

"Come off it Keira! You cut everyone a break but yourself! Your scars make you inadequate by mine add character! You gave Hal and Vince a free pass when they didn't come see you. You even told me the other night that you understand where you're parents are coming from you just can't deal with them! Fuck Keira! Mark even got a pass! That fucker cheated on you while you were in the hospital and you turned yourself into the villain so he could move on with his life! You actually let him think you were pregnant so he could go back to DC and to all your mutual friends and trash your reputation so they would forgive him. Why? He didn't deserve that! I don't understand why the fuck you treat yourself so poorly," I shouted.

I didn't intend on yelling at her. I was just so fucking frustrated. I was sick of watching her let everyone walk all over her. She's an amazing woman, she doesn't deserve the way she lets people treat her and it fucking kills me. She sees herself as damaged, as less then, she doesn't see herself the way others do. People let her down, put her down and she lets them because she thinks that because she's sick, she isn't worthy and she deserves it. It makes me furious.

"What do you want me to say? Do you just want me to be angry and hurt all the time! I have to let things go! I refuse to spend the rest of my life being bitter and angry! If that means I have to swallow some shit, I can handle that!" she shouted back.

"Some shit? Seriously, Keira! Quit lying to yourself. I kissed another woman and you blamed yourself! Don't even try to deny it, you told all the guys not to be angry with me! You practically said you deserved it! Are you out of your fucking mind? Get angry with me! I deserve it! I fucked up!" I yelled.

"Is that what you want? You want me to be mad at you?" she asked, completely exasperated.

"I want you to know that it's okay to be angry! You have a right to be pissed off if your boyfriend cheats on you! I was drunk and I stopped it, but I still kissed her. You were home, sick, unable to eat and fucking depressed and I went out and kissed someone else!" I shouted.

I heard the loud cracking sound and felt a sharp sting across my face. Keira had slapped me.

I looked at her. She was in complete shock staring at her hand. Her large eyes slowly rose to look at me. "Les, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose control like-," I cut her off by grabbing her and crashing my mouth onto hers.

I kissed her hungrily and she responded with the same desperation that I felt. I ripped her dress from her body and pushed her roughly onto the couch. My body crashed on top of hers and her arms and legs wrapped around me, bringing me closer to her. I began kissing down her neck, nipping and sucking her skin. I missed her so much. The feel of her skin, her scent, her taste, the sounds that she was making, I wanted nothing more than to be buried inside her.

I ripped off her bra and panties. I kissed her breasts and toyed with her nipples, I moved down further and placed feather light kisses all over the scars on her stomach. They were a part of her, showing how far she's come and all that she's been through. They were purple badges of courage in my opinion.

I kissed her hips and began going down on her. She was desperate for release and I wanted to give it to her. I used my tongue and fingers to coax her first orgasm out of her. Her body stiffened and jerked as she moaned. I missed this so much. I loved watching her. I kissed back up her body and my mouth found hers once again.

We came together and I moaned into her neck as her hips began moving in rhythm with mine. It had been so long and we felt so good together. I wish I could say that I spent hours making love to the woman that I adored, but it had been six months since we last had sex. It lasted five minutes and I have to admit I was proud considering I thought I was going to lose it in twenty seconds. It was one of the most intense orgasms that I've ever had.

We were both panting with ragged breath once it was over. I don't think either of us were able to breath during, it was too intense. "I'm so sorry I hit you," she whispered.

"I deserved it. I don't think we should make domestic violence a habit but I really needed you to let that out. I'm so sorry that I fucked up and let you down. I've never felt worse about anything I've ever done. I want you to know how much I love you," I said.

"I love you too. I'm really ready to move past everything," she said quietly, giving me a small smile.

"Good, because I'm not letting you use me for a quick fuck. I'm better than that. I deserve for you to make an honest man out of me," I demanded with a grin.

"Oh yeah?" Keira said as she raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, I'm officially your boyfriend, whether you like it or not," I said firmly.

"Well, it's a good thing I like it," she said as she slowly climbed on top of me.

My breath quickened. "I know last time was a little fast, trust me when I say I'm planning on making up to you...over and over again," I said as I began gripping her hips.

"Good to know. You can start now," Keira said as she lowered her mouth to mine. We began again and I'll have you know I lasted much longer than five minutes.

I called Tank and Keira and I took the next two days off. We spent the entire time just being together at my townhouse. We had sex too many times to count. We even broke out our toys. I tied her up, she tied me up, there were vibrators, and fun kinds of lubes and massage oils, there were costumes and the switch that I loved so much.

We also managed to have sex in just about every room in the house. We'd be making breakfast, she would brush up against me and I wouldn't be able to stop myself. We'd be in the pool and she'd put her arms around me and I was a goner. We even had sex one night on the deck. It wasn't intentional. We were just sitting talking outside and Keira was in my lap with this short skirt on and well…all it took was for me to unzip and pull aside her panties and we were at it again.

It was a phenomenal two days which I never wanted to end. We went back to work on Wednesday all glowing and love sick. I'm sure I looked ridiculous the way I was mooning over her but I didn't care. We fell into a nice routine once we were back. Within a week we discussed moving in together. It seemed stupid for us to have two apartments next door to each other. Mine was bigger so Keira moved her stuff into my apartment on four and we even moved some her clothes to the townhouse so she wouldn't really need to take stuff back and forth.

Keira kept working on her health and following doctor's orders. The next few months flew by and her weight finally reached a healthy range and she was able to put back on a lot of the muscle she originally lost. Her scars were beginning to fade and Keira was becoming more comfortable with them, with a little reassurance that I still found her sexy as all hell.

With my encouragement Keira began talking to her family again. It was still a little rough but progress was being made and her parents were starting to see the error of their ways especially once Keira pointed out that she found a man that knew about her issues and accepted her and loved her just as she was. I was so fucking proud when I heard her stick up for herself.

Keira and I were having dinner with Warren once a month. He was very supportive of our relationship and Keira's progress. It was nice to know that even when she didn't have her parents, Warren had always been there for her.

Keira's 30th birthday was coming up and I decided we were going to have a big party at O'Brien's to celebrate. She didn't think it was necessary but was out voted by me and the other members of the core team. Steph and Ranger were even coming. They'd been cooped up at the batcave every since Eva was born. She is one gorgeous kid…she's going to be a stunner just like Julie. Ranger's probably going to start going gray from all the stress that having two stunning daughters is going to cause him.

Seeing Ranger's baby made me realize how ready I was for a family. Being with Keira forced me to grow up and I don't think I could ever thank her enough. She made me realize what was important in life and as lame as it sounds, is love. Whether its friends, family or a lover, it's the only thing that will ever really matter.

Keira was in a sexy deep green dress and some sexy black heels. Her hair was hanging loose down her back and she played up her eyes tonight. She was breathtaking. When she first came out of the bedroom I originally thought to hell with the party, I could make sure we had a better time here. I knew what an important night this was for her so I reluctantly took her to O'Brien's where everyone was waiting for us.

It was a great night. People drank, ate and danced the night away. Before it ended Bobby called everyone's attention.

"Listen up! Everyone knows what Keira's been through. She had a goal. She wanted to be healthy by her 30th birthday. I am holding her test results. Are we ready to see how our girl is doing?" he asked.

Everyone cheered. I could feel Keira cringe slightly beside me. I put my arm around her. "No matter what, you're in a much better place today then you were a year ago. You've come so far," I whispered. She gave me a grateful smile.

"Let's start out with the basics. Keira's blood pressure, cholesterol and lab work are actually better than half the guys at RangeMan's" Bobby said which caused some laughs and applause. "Next up, her bone density test! Now, two years ago when Keira was living in DC she was tested and it was concluded that Keira had osteopenia. Now, after a lot of hard work and soy milk, Keira has been added almost 10% to her bone mass. This is incredible! She is now officially out of the osteopenia range and is now on the lower side of normal. There is still room for improvement but this in an incredible feat in such a short amount of time," Bobby paused to allow people to clap. "Now for the big finale! Keira had a colonoscopy…I know, not the best conversation starter," Bobby joked as Keira rolled her eyes. "But it came back and as of right now. There are no signs of disease. It looks like you finally got your disease under control, you may well be in remission!" Bobby exclaimed.

The room went wild. Keira threw her head back and let out a giant laugh. I grabbed her and kissed her passionately. There were cheers and whistles. I broke our kiss and looked into her eyes to see tears of joy. "I don't think it's possible for me to be any more proud then I am at this moment. I love you," I whispered.

"Thank you so eveyerhing you've done for me. I love you too," she whispered back.

"Good because that makes this easier," I said as I slowly dropped to my knee. Keira's mouth fell open.

Bobby roared "Shut up!" and the crowd was finally quiet.

"Keira, I know most people will say that this is fast, but I've been in love with you since I first saw you, right over there," I said gesturing to the bar, "almost two years ago. Since that night you've been the only one for me. We've been through hell and back together and through it all I've always known that you've been the best thing that's ever happened to me and I'd be completely lost without you. Will you please take pity on me and marry me?" I asked as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring.

Keira's hands went over her mouth in shock. Tears began leaking out of her big blue eyes.

"Baby?" I asked.

My stomach was being tied up in knots. After what felt like hours but couldn't have been more than a few seconds she started nodding emphatically, unable to speak. I sprang to my feet and picked up her small body into my arms and twirled her around.

Everyone was shouting as I slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her. We were rushed by the crowd and were kissed and hugged with lots of handshakes and backslaps. I didn't think it was possible to be this happy.

I was done with being the asshole playboy. I hated that guy. He was a complete selfish prick, who hid behind lines and empty meaningless sex. Keira's has shown me how good life can really be and I'm never letting her go.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXx**

**One more chapter left to tie it all off! I hope you're enjoying it!**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N - JE's own everything you recognize.**

**No beta mistakes are my own.**

**This is it! Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and/or review a Lester story. Crohn's Disease and other autoimmue disease are extremely difficult and every patient has a different experience with it, some times it's easier then Keira's and sometimes its much much harder. Thanks again and I'll see you soon with another update of Domestic Bliss!**

Chapter 35

Lester's POV

It was a gorgeous day. Blue skies, light breeze, sixty-five degrees of perfect. It's like God understood how important this day was.

I was standing on the beach with Bobby next to me. "Breathe man," Bobby whispered. I took a deep breath and shot him a grateful look. I was feeling jittery. It was strange, I wasn't afraid of being married; actually I was looking forward to it. _Getting_ married was freaking me the fuck out.

The past year has been amazing. Keira and I have really found a way to have a happy healthy relationship without drama. I didn't want to admit it, but our relationship had been so dramatic at the beginning that I wasn't sure we'd know how to have a normal relationship. Once we got Keira's disease under control everything just began falling into place. Don't get me wrong, there are times it's not easy. She still has days where she can't get out of bed or her stomach is bothering her, but overall she's been so much better and I couldn't be happier about her progress.

Keira's also become so much stronger mentally and emotionally. I've always known she was tough. She doesn't take shit from any of the guys at work, she has no problem calling someone out and she's always comfortable enough to make fun of herself. But when it came to her illness she had so many issues and insecurities that she would just burry and cover-up with a snarky comment or a witty retort.

She's continued seeing Burke and has made some amazing progress. I've gone with her several times and I think it helps me understand what she's constantly going through and helps with our communication. We've also become semi-regulars at the support group. We've actually made a few friends with some of the other couples. We'd occasionally grab dinner or drinks with some of them. I think it was good for Keira to have friends with similar problems.

I knew she was becoming much more comfortable in her own skin, but I didn't realize just how far she'd come until I heard her on the phone one day in the kitchen.

"I did lie. No, I wasn't pregnant. It doesn't change anything. We're done; we've been done for a long time. Tell everyone I'm a liar and a terrible person, I don't care. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Keira said.

She paused and I heard yelling on the other end but couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Stop. Just stop. Take a little responsibility for your own actions. You couldn't handle being with someone chronically ill. Just admit it. That was the problem. That was always the problem and now you're not with someone who's chronically ill so it's time to move on and let it go. I'm better than I have been in years. My disease is finally under control and I'm happily engaged. It's time for you to find someone or something that makes you happy and leave me alone. I don't want to be friends or acquaintances or even facebook friends. I'd prefer to go scorched earth on this. Don't call me, email me, or contact me in any way again and stop calling my family. If you don't, I'll file for a restraining order, which would do wonders for your political ambitions," Keira said calmly. She paused and there was more ranting on the other end.

"Yep. You too," she said as she hung up.

"What the hell was that?" I asked her.

"My parents told Mark I was never pregnant. He was mad and felt the need to let me know," she shrugged.

"Are you alright? What did he say to you?" I asked as I touched her face.

"He called me a lying cunt and a slew of other names," she confessed.

I felt rage slowly roll through my body. Keira sensing this; gently pulled me into a hug and began placing soft kisses on my face. "Stop. I don't care what he thinks. He's not going to bother us again. I handled it," she said gently.

I felt my body begin to relax with every kiss. It didn't take long before the gentle kisses turned into more and I made love to my future wife in the kitchen. Mark never did bother us again and he even stopped calling Keira's parents.

Keira's relationship with her family was a bit of a rollercoaster. They freaked when Mark told them about the pregnancy and were angry at her for making it up to push Mark out of her life. I didn't even meet Keira's parents until the day of our rehearsal dinner. They decided to some to the wedding and support our marriage. Keira was happy but incredibly nervous; I did my best to support her. I kissed her often and held her tight the night before our wedding, I refused to be separated from her beforehand (yeah I know, I'm a giant pussy). I whispered to her in Spanish, telling her how much I loved her and how happy I was that she agreed to be my wife until her body relaxed and her breathing evened.

Now, I was standing on the beach, waiting for Keira to walk down the aisle. Her family was here and seated. There was a little tension but no drama. The music swelled and I watched as Stephanie made her way down the aisle, holding little Eva's hand as she walked down the aisle beside her mom. Stephanie smiled at me as her aqua eyes shun with happiness.

The music changed and all the guests stood. Keira began making her way down with Warren escorting her. Her gown had a fitted bodice and then flared at the hips, her narrow waist was accented with rhinestones. There are no words to describe how beautiful she looked. My eyes welled up with tears. I've never been a crier, I don't actually know when the last time I've even come this close. I blinked them away as her large blue eyes met mine. It felt like the world just melted away there was no one but me and Keira.

The ceremony passed in such a blur, the next thing I knew I had Keira in my arms and everyone was cheering while I kissed _my wife_.

Later during the reception while Keira was stolen away from me by my brother, I headed to the bar where I found most of the Rangeman guys hanging out.

"Nice party, Santos," Ram commented.

"Yeah, much better talent then Ranger's," Vince said as he began eyeing some of Keira's former coworkers.

"If you would've told me two three years ago at Ranger's wedding that Santos would be the next one to marry, I would've bet my life saving against it," Manny said with a head shake.

"He just barely made it considering we got Hal's in a few months and me and Bobby next year," Cal pointed out.

"What the fuck is happening to us?" Zero groaned. "We're dropping like flies and almost everyone has a girlfriend except for Vince, Binkie and me," he pointed.

"Binkie doesn't have a girlfriend because he has a boyfriend. Hector and Justin set him up," Keira said as she walked up. I grinned as I slipped my arm around my wife.

"Binkie's gay?" Ram asked.

"Where the hell have you all been? They've been together almost six months," Keira pointed out.

"Binkie just seems so….straight. I would've never guessed," Zero explained.

"Well, he's not. The only reason Jamie isn't here with Binkie is because his cousin is getting married today, so they decided to go solo to each wedding," she said. "Come on Zero, you're the only one I haven't danced with yet," Keira said.

"No way Morgan! First off I don't dance, second not after that scathing email about my late FTA reports. You're a god damn FTA report Nazi!" Zero said.

"Have a little respect!" Keira declared. "I'm a married woman now. That's Mrs. FTA report Nazi and you can address me as Santos from now on," she said as she looked up at me. I dropped a kiss on her forehead. "No one says no to the bride on her day. You're dancing," Keira said as she took Zero's hand. Zero groaned but followed her to the dance floor.

Vince was staring longingly after Keira. I knew that look all too well. "You know how lucky you are right?" he asked quietly.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "I do and I promise you I will work every day to deserve her. Keep your eyes open man. I thought I watched the love of my life marry someone else three years ago and two weeks later I met my soul mate," I said.

Vince gave me a small lop-sided smile.

Keira and I enjoyed the rest of the reception then slipped away to our honeymoon suite to celebrate the way I've been dying to since I saw her in that dress.

We decided to take a six week honeymoon in Europe. We traveled, ate amazing food and drank amazing wine. Keira was still careful of her diet but splurged a little more than she did back home. We lay one exotic beaches and made love almost every day. I was incredibly surprised when Keira asked if we could go home early. We were supposed to have one more week. When I asked her why she just shrugged and said that she was ready to get back to our real lives. She was lying. I could tell. I didn't push her.

We returned to Trenton and went back to work. I got a call from Keira one day while I was in the field and she asked me to come to the townhouse when I was done. I was worried that she was ill, so I finished up quickly and raced home.

I walked into the house and realized that Keira had lit candles everywhere. I slowly walked into the living room and was in awe of how beautiful it was all lit up. Keira was dressed in a little silky black negligee. Her back was to me and she was lighting more candles on the mantel.

"Quierda?" I said softly.

Keira froze for a moment then slowly turned towards me. She rested her hand on her belly. She had a small pillow stuffed up the negligee making her look pregnant.

"What's all this?" I asked.

She slowly walked towards me and smiled. "I figured you should get used to seeing me this way," she said as she slowly took my hand and placed a white stick in it.

I looked the stick over carefully. It has a plus sign. "You're pregnant?" I asked softly. Keira bit her lip and nodded as her eyes shun with happy tears.

Keira and I went to the doctor's a few months before we got married and they said she could start trying to have children. Her GI, Endocrinologist as well as her OB-GYN would just be heavily involved to make sure everything went smoothly.

"Is this why you wanted to leave the honeymoon early?" I asked as I touched her hair.

She nodded again. "I wasn't sure so I didn't want to get your hopes up but I took the test and then called all the doctors. I went in for blood work and I'm not only definitely pregnant but I'm perfectly healthy and all my levels are good," she said.

"Oh Baby!" I exclaimed as I grabbed her and kissed her. I was going to be a father, I had the most amazing wife and now I was going to be a dad.

"How the hell are we ever going to tell our kids the story of how we met?" she laughed as she broke our kiss. "Dad was trying to plant a tracker on mom and they decided to go home and get it on?" she suggested.

"That is not how it happened," I said firmly.

"How did it happen?" she asked.

"I was depressed and jaded sitting at O'Brien's waiting to plant a tracker on a target, when you walked in. I took one look at you and knew you were special then I listened to your conversation and realized that you were it for me. I spent five months convincing you that you loved me as much as I loved you and we've been together and madly in love ever since," I explained.

"That's not what happened!" she laughed.

"Hermosa, that's _exactly_ what happened," I said firmly. "And I can't wait to share that story with my child," I whispered.

Ramon Warren Santos was born seven months later, arriving two weeks early. He was always impatient and a complete type A/alpha male, unlike his sister Stella who was born two years later and a week late. She was a laid back and a free spirit. Ramon and Stella were close their entire lives and brought out the best in each other. Ramon would often bring Stella back to earth and Stella would remind Ramon to loosen up.

Keira went back to school and got her MBA. With her help as well as the other members of RangeMan we expanded to New York, Chicago, LA and even London. Ramon went into the family business while Stella became a successful photographer in New York. Keira and I couldn't have been prouder parents.

Marrying a chronically ill woman isn't always easy but Keira was always worth it. Therapy became a natural part of our lives. Our kids even went occasionally when they were younger to make sure that they understood and were okay with everything that their mother was going through. There were times where she got really ill again and there were times where it was difficult especially when the kids were small but I never once regretted getting involved with this woman. She was the love of my life and my one true soul mate.

It may not always be perfect, but Keira and I definitely lived happily ever after.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**As most of you may have guessed, this was a complete vanity project and was really self indulgent. I have Crohn's Disease and I went through all medical stuff that Keira went through (not the personal). It was suggested to me that I write about my experiences because it was so difficult and I was told it would be cathartic. I tried writing it all down and I found it difficult to even write about. I decided to try a fan fic and originally had all the stuff happening to Stephanie but I write in the first person and again it was too personal and I was too close to it. **

**Writing from Lester's POV allowed me to get it out but keep some emotional distance (if that makes sense) and allowed me to insert a little humor. Even the few sections writing from Keira's POV were incredibly hard for me and it made me really uncomfortable. Now that it's all out I think it did help writing about it and I hope I'm now able to really move on. I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read this story and especially to all my reviewers who pushed me to keep going at times where I wasn't sure I would. It meant so much to me. Thank you for everything!**


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